Deep in the camphor woods in Taiwan Miaoli Sanyi, lies an estate, ChooArt, intended to coexist with the nature. ChooArt is the Taiwanese word for tree, because of a hope to reserve the very original Taiwan.
ChooArt sits on a piece of land, where betal nut palms had been grown. As much as 70 percent of the slope suffers severe destruction of soil and water conservation because of the growth of the shallow-rooted betal nut palms over years. ChooArt did not begin to plan on and design buildings until it spent almost many years on reforestation. Construction went on purposely without felling trees or levelling land.
Low-impact development was adopted to reduce erosion of and interference with soil and to maintain the ecosystem and water retaining ability of the site in order to reserve as many plants as possible. With high respect for the pristine environment, the building team spent almost a year of time getting familiar with the hills just to observe the geography of this place. As such, it took all four years, just to build four villas.
A Taiwanese saying goes, first comes, first stays. So, we respect the trees that are original here.
ChooArt insists in “tree and the nature” being the leading role. Therefore, room layout was set around the tree with vertical glass surrounding the original tree and space is reserved for the tree to grow.
In “Learning from the Nature” ChooArt builds an ecological dreamland with care and perseverance and it intends to keep on reforestation in the future, presently another 3 hectare of slope land has been set aside which will be widely used to grow pines and maples. ChooArt is not only an Ecological building. It wants to be a sustainable building to restore the nature and let it thrive forever.
Project Address:
No. 27-1, Waizhuang, Sanyi Township,
Miaoli Country 367, Taiwan
Owner:
Jeou Tarng Estate Co., Ltd
No. 439, Sec. 5, Chongde Rd., Tanzi Dist.
Taichung City 427, Taiwan
Architect:
Mr. Lin-Li, SU
Da Zhu Architectural Studio, Taiwan