英文摘要 |
Iconic architecture can be a place for image shaping and identity cohesion, and recently it has been a driving force for regional development. Rather than focusing on iconic architectures as the embodiment of global cities and capital power, this paper aims to contribute to relevant discussions through an exploration of the local railway stations located in eastern Taiwan using the perspective of design governance. Through the analysis of secondary documents and on-site observation, as well as in-depth interviews with key persons, we discuss how Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA)'s reconstruction of the railway stations under the ''Hualien-Taitung Efficiency Improvement'' Project has demonstrated aesthetic awareness showcasing the architects' intermediary role. This reconstruction is quite distinct from traditional public works related to transportation that usually prioritize engineering techniques and downplay architectural forms. In reality, however, different stations' manifestations of the architects' aesthetics varied and were rather limited. We show that the tourism development of surrounding mountains, the regime of public works, the practices of the architectural profession, local governments' strategies, and local communities' empowerment attempts all shaped the actual formation of the stations. We argue that multiple-level design governance has molded the station reconstruction of Huadong Railway, which also epitomizes the social dimensions of the design of public space. |