
Ming-Song Shyu, Architectural History Scholar, Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, Ming Chuan University
DH Café (No. 153, Section 3, Zhongshan North Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City)
One lecture for $500, including special snacks (sandwiches, desserts, drinks), and 10% discount on event book purchases.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus (1919-2019) and also marks the first anniversary of the death of Mr. Wang Dai. Three architects influenced by the Bao Haus in Taiwan, Wang Daei, Chen Chiquan and Zhang Zhaokang, each contributed in different ways to the development of modern architecture in Taiwan after the war. Even though time has passed, the ancients return today to take a closer look at the works they left behind, and the cultural depth of their work still amazes us. For this centenary, it is necessary to reflect on what cultural assets the ancients have left us behind. This series of four lectures is the beginning of what we intend to reflect deeply on. The topic of the lecture is “Theme 2: Taiwan Architecture and Baohouses - Zhang Zhaokang's “The Way of Chinese Architecture” and Baohouses”.
A fellow graduate of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design with Wang Da-Hong and I.M. Pei, Chao-Kang Chang joined them in 1954 to help shape the founding vision of Tunghai University. When the first phase of construction did not meet expectations in 1956, Chao-Kang Chang—renowned for his attention to details—was the first dispatched to Taiwan to guide the engineering efforts. His contributions included the old library, science college, gymnasium, and sections of student dormitories.
Though his time at Tunghai University was brief, Chao-Kang Chang collaborated with numerous architects on notable projects. In 1963, he returned to Taiwan to work on the Agricultural Exhibition Hall at National Taiwan University, partnered with Haigo Shen on the Shilin Shepherd’s Chapel in 1967, and in 1968, joined Haigo Shen and Eric Cumine to co-design the Chia Hsin Cement Building.
Later Chao-Kang Chang relocated to Hong Kong to work for Eric Cumine’s firm, where he began exploring the possibilities of high-rise structures. In his later years, Chao-Kang Chang led students from the University of Hong Kong on expeditions across China, documenting and measuring traditional dwellings. This effort culminated in a 1987 publication co-authored with Werner Blaser titled China: Tao in Architecture, which reinterprets Chinese vernacular buildings through the lens of modern architecture. The book reveals not only structural features but the deeper philosophical essence and transformation in Chinese architectural traditions.