Normal School, the Provincial Hua- lien Normal School and the Provin- cial Chiayi Girls Middle School. Each has its distinctive indentifica- tion.
For example, the Provincial Kao- hsiung Girls Normal School has a gate design incorporating three can- dles. They symbolize the night work. of students. But if they stand for sacrifice, they also promise a bright future.
On the wall of the dormitory is a sailshaped sculpture. It promises that the students will advance with a fa- vorable wind.
In designing a residence. Miss Hsiu is a woman. Her heart and best de- sign go into the kitchen, because she knows the housewife will spend several hours a day there. By Chinese practice this is revolutionary. Kitchen windows must overlook the gate, so that the wife can handle the house easily, even if. alone.
Close to Nature
The art of Chinese architecture is closely associated with the intimate feelings of the people for the signi- ficance and beauty of nature. Build- ings have been constructed with res- pect for the "spirits of earth. water and air" The idea is not to dominate nature, as in the usual Western way, but to cooperate with the environ- ment in attaining a perfect harmony.
This is praiseworthy enough. It is also an objective sought by Frank Lloyd Wright and others of the West. Unfortunately, many Chinese build- ings conform to religious and phi- losophical interpretation but fall down both artistically and in terms of usefulness. Chinese architecture also has tended toward uniformity and even monotony.
Miss Hsiu is a believer in speci- alization. She notes how contrac- tors, engineers, manufacturers and machines can be utilized in the crea- tion of a structure. These elements musi be coordinated, she says, make a better, more useful edifice. and that is the architect's task.
to
Yet the architect-coordinator has many problems in the China of to- day. Most contractors are self- taught. They think they have learn- ed everything from experience and do not want to listen to the architect. Often they accept only what their father taught them about building. From masons to carpenters, subcon-
tractors have similar failings. They often resist change.
Four Vital Aspects
will
She hopes the government open special classes for building con- struction workers, so that they will accept new ways and build better structures.
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"Comfort, beauty, safety and economy
these are the most im- portant aspects of building today." Miss Hsiu declared.
"The shape of a house is import- ant. Uniformity and monotony will spoil the most scenic site.
"Buildings include the values of both music and painting. To those visiting a country, the architecture makes a deep
deep impression. In the short run, this may be stronger than the impact of the people. Both cul- ture and economic development are revealed. China has an improving record in its architectural impact."
Miss Hsiu has reason to be optimis- tic. Departments of Architecture exist at the Provincial Chengkung University. Tunghai University and About a Taipei Christian College. third of the students are girls.
Of 274 architects in Taiwan, seven are women.
Hsiu Tse-lan, who is a devoted mother married to an engineer, is shown here supervising construction work. ▼
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THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER-VOLUME 19, NUMBER
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87
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