Reveal the Unseen- Retrieving Sense of Place by Public Water Space based on the Former Irrigation System, Ksôkong Tsùn, in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Abstract

Industrialization and urbanization undoubtedly have brought many places prosperity. However, the fast-speed urbanization process in Asia results in the loss of local identity and flexibility to adapt to the increasing frequency of extreme climate catastrophes. By looking into the beginning of a city, oftentimes water plays a crucial role to initiate a society. However, the trace of water is usually long gone in many urbanized places. Former water systems are now covered with concrete to meet the increasing demand for space. As a result, the intimacy between people and water is rapidly fading away. Nevertheless, water could be the carrier to keep on telling stories of the place, create a sense of place, and abound with the landscape. Through understanding the former irrigation system, Ksôkong Tsùn Irrigation System, in southern Taiwan, this design/research aims to establish landscape architecture design strategies and designs at the local scale to reform people-water relationships to flourish local identity and place attachment. The direction of this project is first to enhance people’s engagement with water by providing good quality public space to initiate an urban, daily, and recreational attachment with water. Therefore, a city’s identity is build up by both the space itself and every individual citizen’s attachment to it. Meanwhile, from designing several locations, a water network is expected to be created to assist the city to become resilient for future challenges.