Among the Taiwan architectural design brands, the artwork of OU Studio (Open Union Cultural & Creative Co.) is drawing Taiwan public’s attention. The team is raised and bred in Tainan taking the local creation route, by the transformation of the dilapidated hundred-year old building to reproduce a series of memories. It tells us, design is not limited to the arts.

OU Studio was founded in 2001 and is positioned as a design studio with an international perspective and adhering to local creative. It pays attention to research and practical issues of architectural theory and practice, with projects in areas such as spatial installations, public arts, interiors, architecture, landscapes, community development, and also represent Taiwan to participate in Venice Architecture Biennale and Berlin Design Exhibition. Their well-known artworks such as “Blueprint”, “The Tree House Cafe”, “Fishing Tackle Warehouse of An-ping Harbor”, “JJ-W Hotel”, “Hayashi” are all re-create projects with Tainan old buildings. Re-construct an old building is not difficult but re-construct is. The key to success is to add new elements on the foundation but at the same time retain its originality.

Re-creation for whom? Why re-create again? How to re-create? – These are the annotated core values of humanistic design. For example, “JJ-W Hotel”, rebuild the old JJ Hotel with tree-house idea was aimed to create a lifestyle experience of old Tainan for visitors. Such as “Blueprint” (2004), half-cut abandoned furniture was presented in an half-cut abandoned house to make city hall to face up the Hai-an Road problem. Another example is “Hayashi”, reserving the original Japanese design principles to create a dialogue between Tainan memories in 1930s and creative industries in modern Taiwan.

Re-creation has an extension of another deeper meaning: heritage on conservation and revitalization means passing the historical value of the old building to next generation and create sustainable development. OU Studio combined the original style and modern function in renovation project, which is easy to present the historical charm and improve the user’s cultural sentiment and civil sense.

With the increase in these projects, OU Studio has constantly evolved and its humanistic design is now applied in both commercial project and public art. OU Studio is leading the Taiwan’s creative and design industries and its humanistic design into International.

“Blueprint”
Within the ten years between 2004 and 2014, along Hai-an Road to Tainan Old Judicial Quarters, from 2D (flat visual arts) to 3D (three-dimensional visual arts), from Taiwan to Shenzhen of China, Berlin of Germany and Nagoya of Japan, OU Studio is still playing fluoroscopic blueprint to tell the story of a city.

“JJ-W Hotel”
West Market Tainan, where merchants gathered and next to it is the JJ Hotel which accommodate politician and business elite in 1930s during the Japanese-occupied period. Today, JJ hotel has reborn and become JJ-W Hotel with the decoration of a century old tree, white windows, modern art, old Tainan furniture and invited Japanese designer Sou Fujimoto to design the “Tree Ladder” as well as external landscape space.

“Hayashi”
Hayashi was built during Japanese-occupied period, is now turned into an exhibition and shop for local artists & designers in Tainan. The interior of Hayashi persists its original Japanese design principles and apply non-fixed compartment design to create space. The overall design merges classical Japanese and European style together, with the use of gentle and sensual kind of fabric and light cabinet to extend the sense of sight.

Source from OU Studio