OMG IT’s A FABRIC

National Cheng Kung University, College of Planning & Design, Department of Architecture, Tainan City

Project idea

Considering the future aging problem in the local area, if the northern base is transformed into a cultural village-related industry, a large number of tourists will flock to this area, creating even more job opportunities. Therefore, the program for this base is defined as a mixed-use residential complex serving the elderly, young families, and tourists.
To accommodate these functions within the same base, we believe a medium is needed to separate the activity areas of residents and tourists. This allows tourists ample public space for various activities, while residents can enjoy their own good views. Although both groups share the same base, they will have distinctly different experiential memories.
This medium must elegantly separate the two activity spaces like a semi-transparent, fabric-like partition, allowing both spaces to remain undisturbed yet still offering a glimpse into each other's activities.

Project description

The site is located in Brněnec, a remote mountain town in eastern Czech Republic. Future plans aim to create a large cultural village centered around the remnants of Schindler's factory left over from World War II. This will attract a large number of tourists and create numerous job opportunities.
Like many suburban areas, this town shows signs of an aging population. According to 2021 statistics, 28.5% of the local residents were elderly, indicating a future with significant medical needs. We investigated nearby medical facilities and found that several large medical institutions are located in a town about 10 kilometers away. The town itself has small medical facilities, including obstetrics and gynecology, dentistry, and pharmacies. Therefore, our design will incorporate small medical facilities specialized in elderly care.
The eastern side of the site is adjacent to the main road connecting the town to the outside. The small bridge on the southeast side is a crucial entrance and exit, linking to the train station on the east side. The northwest side connects to the existing residential area, while the west side is a large forested area. These characteristics result in the site having an open eastern side and a secluded western side.

A north-south oriented curved surface is placed in the middle of the base, dividing the activity areas of residents and travelers, thereby separating the living memories of the two ends.
Along the curved surface, four residential units are set up. Except for the southernmost unit, which is a hotel for travelers, the remaining units are all residential complexes for local residents.
A parking lot is located under the curved surface, with the southern side designated for tourists and the northern side for residents.

Technical information

The space below the ground floor consists of a reinforced concrete base. On top of this base, a large timber frame structure is erected. The 4x4 frames can have floors and walls constructed using dry methods, allowing for replaceability. The columns and beams of the large frame have specially designed joints that can be assembled using dry construction methods, enabling expansion and replacement as needed.