Encountering Architecture: Seeking the Humanistic Flavors of Space in Travel

Author: Yang Shufei
Publisher: Wood Horse Culture
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: A woman with a background in literature accidentally encounters architecture and begins to learn about it through travel, spread it through lectures, write about it in words, and document it through images. This book invites you to share her journey in architecture. Yang Shufei, who graduated from a Chinese literature program, was drawn to the work related to architecture by her father and the passion and excitement of architects. Her life path unknowingly grew closer to "architecture." This book is her architectural and humanistic observation of travel to Germany, Japan, Spain, and other places with many architecture enthusiasts. In Berlin, with its rich history, she was deeply impressed by the strong sense of order and pursuit of knowledge of the Germans; in Japan, the stunning museums and galleries left her spellbound, and she envied the deep integration of cultural power into the Japanese people. In the scorching sunshine of Barcelona, she fully enjoyed the original energy of Spanish culture. "Architecture must be experienced firsthand; words can hardly truly convey the power of space that moves people." If these articles touch you, then start planning your own architectural and cultural journey!
Important Events Since its establishment in 1998, "Zhu Sheng Lecture Hall" has had a significant influence in the field of architecture. With hundreds of lecturers and thousands of students, it has created over 10,000 attendance opportunities, becoming an important venue for architectural culture in Central Taiwan. After nearly seven years of dedication, it has also attracted more and more non-architecture professionals, tirelessly promoting the popularization of "architectural aesthetics." In recent years, it has further enhanced the learning effect of travel by planning professional architectural travel activities in coordination with lecture hall courses, receiving widespread praise.
Book Features 1. This is the book by Yang Shufei, the planner of "Zhu Sheng Lecture Hall," an important promoter of "spatial aesthetics education" outside the academia. Although not professionally trained in architecture, Yang Shufei has long been committed to promoting "architectural aesthetics" and has made significant contributions to the improvement of "spatial aesthetics education" in Taiwan, gaining high praise in the architectural field. 2. During her travels, Yang Shufei not only meticulously captures the design inspiration of architects from the physical form, materials, structure, landscape environmental design of buildings but also explores the interaction between buildings and people from the perspectives of literature, history, and users, forming the "genius loci" and cultural value behind the use of space. At the same time, from her visits to various museums and galleries in Germany, Japan, and Spain, she observes the degree of a nation's emphasis on cultural education, the development of cultural industries, and the overall cultural strength. 3. The book covers the lives and outstanding works of many world-class architects currently active in the architectural industry, including Gaudí, American architect Frank Gehry, Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei, Japanese architects Tadao Ando, Kisho Kurokawa, Fumihiko Maki, Yoshio Taniguchi, and Spanish architect José Rafael Moneo (José Rafael Moneo), among whom many are Pritzker Prize winners. It is the perfect companion for architectural travel. 4. In the late 20th century, Taiwan experienced economic prosperity and decline, and during the industrial adjustment and transformation, it sought to make contributions in shaping the spatial landscape and upgrading cultural industries. The cultural industry development experience of Germany, Japan, and Spain provided in this book is worth referencing.
Recommendations Whether it was her childhood admiration for her father's work or her later longing for the creations and studies of her architecture classmates at the same university, I would say that if Shufei had not already planted a passion for architecture in her heart, she would not have become the "architect" she is today! Yes, she can truly be called a non-professional architect. A Chinese literature graduate, she has published a book like this. Writing is a tiring journey, and her willingness to use writing for self-organization shows that the author is deeply emotional about the subject and material. Sometimes, I often feel that the study of architecture extends beyond the school gate, not only in terms of practical engagement but also in understanding, appreciating, and establishing values. Shufei, like a self-taught architect, has found an unconventional path to architecture in the real estate industry. Through editing publications, organizing lectures, and planning architectural travel, she has connected with the vibrant people and events in the architectural world like a network. This book is her first "observation and organization" output on architecture. Her words avoid rigid and technical architectural jargon, nor do they overstep into overly poetic and emotional descriptions. She draws from literature, music, and art to find a comprehensive foundation for understanding architectural spaces. On paper, she attempts to recapture the emotions of the moment and let them interact with her past humanistic nourishment.
—Lin Fangyi, International Cultural Director of Hoa Yi International Cultural
Fresh Perspectives, Opening a Window: Shufei is an enthusiastic architectural observer but not a professional in the field. From the perspective of a traditional architect, what I see in Daniel Libeskind's Jewish Museum in Berlin (1998) and the German Pavilion in Barcelona (1929) by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is an expected architectural viewpoint. However, when I read Shufei's book, it's as if I have an additional companion on my travels, allowing me to hear different voices and truly understand the multifaceted nature of observing architecture. When I see Shufei's non-standard architectural perspectives, my own observational viewpoint is opened. In recent years, I have gradually grown to enjoy comparing myself with others and discovering fresh perspectives on architecture during the same journeys. This allows me to step out of the standard and traditional architectural viewpoint in my daily work, enabling me to consider deeper and broader aspects when practicing architecture. I admire Shufei's fresh perspective on architecture, and her views have also opened another window for me, a traditional architect, to see architecture differently.
—Lin Zhou, Principal of Zhongguan Architects
Writing about architecture in plain language is difficult; it's easy to fall into overly professional frameworks and sound like a pedant, discussing too many obscure and actually unimportant details. Shufei's architectural writing stems from her travel experiences, expressing what she feels and leaving the rest to researchers, so she can write about architecture simply yet elegantly. Writing about architecture through travel is also difficult; it's easy to fall into the trap of travel guidebooks, which may be practical but lack architectural poetry and the ideals and emotions of architects or cultural artists. Shufei's architectural writing, while also providing references for architectural travel, focuses more on weaving together the many ideas of history, literature, art, and humanities she encountered during her travels into the process of experiencing architecture, writing as she thinks, and leaving the travel logistics to tour guides. Thus, she can write about architectural travel in a way that is both rational and emotional.
When writing about architecture, material selection is the hardest—naturally, one sees a lot, but it's easy to lose focus and often overwhelming. After traveling across Asia, Europe, and America, Shufei chooses to write about Germany to discuss modernity, Japan to discuss spirit, and Spain to discuss charm, leaving the rest to others. Thus, she can vividly depict the temporal and national characteristics of architecture. Shufei writes about architecture in a simple yet excellent way.
—Professor Liu Yudong, Department of Architecture, National Taiwan University
In recent years, with the rise of civic consciousness, people have begun to care about their surrounding environments. "Architecture," a field originally belonging to art or engineering, has gradually gained the attention of the general public, blurring the line between professionals and non-professionals. A trend of "architectural enlightenment" seems to be emerging. Since her student days, Shufei has been connected to architecture and has long served as a bridge between architecture and the public. Currently, she plans the Taichung Chang'an Zhu Sheng Lecture Hall, which continues to hold lectures and visits, attracting many participants. Here, for the architectural field, it has become a stage for gathering "architectural issues," exploring new directions for architectural discourse. Conversely, for the public, it provides a place to encounter architecture and attempt to establish their own life awareness, sowing seeds for a mature civic society that values "environmental quality" in the future. This book embodies these qualities as well. Shufei, with the perspective and action of a literary person, bridges the gap between the professional and non-professional aspects of architecture.
Architects who read it can rekindle the architectural thoughts and ideals that have long been buried in their hearts, while the general public can discover the joy of appreciating architecture and endless imagination.
—Associate Professor Zeng Guangzong, Department of Architecture, Chung Yuan Christian University
Architectural travel is already a way to glimpse the characteristics of a place, let alone visiting museums that condense the essence or represent the characteristics of the place? Over the decades, museum architecture has almost become an indicator industry for promoting creative industries in various countries. Museums like Tadao Ando's or the numerous art museums in Japan have become so numerous that they even require a "museum guide" from the Toto Publishing House. Let alone the Guggenheim Museum, which has become a sensation worldwide, even Taiwan cannot escape it. Therefore, in recent years, whenever we travel abroad, we always make sure to visit museums. However, after reading Shufei's smooth and thoughtful travel essays on museum visits, I feel a bit embarrassed, because she, with a non-architecture background, can always discover the content behind the forms and outstanding insights in the museums—travelers, observations of different cultures. This is a book worth reading lightly and thinking deeply. Today, creative culture is talked about everywhere, and Shufei simply presents the core content of creative culture through her relaxed pen.
—Architecture Critic and Lecturer at the Department of Architecture, Min-Tian University, Xu Mingsong
《Encountering Architecture》is a book that covers both architectural professionalism and humanistic aesthetics.
—Art Critic Liu Huiyuan