Project_ VESSEL OF FUTURE COMMUNE
Client_ U-mkt by JUT Foundation for Arts and Architecture
Agency_ Loftwork
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Project Direction_ Daiki Tsutsumi (Loftwork)
Workshop Production Management, Communication Strategy, Creative Direction, Program Design_ Joy Hsieh (Loftwork)
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Lecture_ Hiroshi Ohno (Studio on_site), Pei-Wen Jin
Collaboration_ Wan-Wen Huang, Tzu-Ming Lin, Wen-Jui Tan, Chih-Chun Hsieh, Ching-Tsung Kuo, Tzu-Hsuan Yuan, Tzu-Yun Huang, Yun Wang, Yu Chiu, Chun-Ya Chang, Pei-Jung Chiu, Chia-Yen Lin, Ssu-Wen Lin, Zoe Kuo, Ssu-Hsiu Liu, Tzu-Yuan Kung, Chia-Jui Li, Hsi-Hsuan Tsai, Chiao-Mei Lin, Ssu-Yuan Wang, Yun-Rong Wu
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Workshop Promotion_ Wayne Yang, Monica Lin (U-mkt)
Workshop Execution Assistant_ Wayne Yang, Monica Lin (U-mkt)
Workshop Interpret_ Piggy Yang
Workshop Photography_ Anpis Wang (Anpis Foto)
September 3, 2022
U-mkt, Taipei
As the first public activity under the U-mkt Project, the goals were to establish a relationship between the creators and local residents and to provide an opportunity for deeper understanding of the project, linking back to the first phase’s theme, Gathering / Staying. We invited two creators from the project—Hiroshi Ohno, a local craft restoration architect from Japan, and Taiwanese zero-waste fashion designer Pei-Wen Jin—to lead the workshop. Using their expertise, they developed a joint module designed for an easily storable bamboo structure and a zero-waste patchwork created by repurposing plastic bags and rice sacks from the market and participants' homes. Together, they guided workshop participants in building an outdoor shade at U-mkt, inviting the U-mkt team and nearby residents to gather and stay in the space.
Connecting Creators with Similar Values to Spark Cross-disciplinary and Cross-cultural Co-creation
In the U-mkt project, four Japanese and five Taiwanese teams participated. After the Japanese members arrived in Taiwan, Taiwanese members voluntarily provided the resources needed, and the Japanese members shared information from abroad, creating a positive cycle of interaction. Workshop instructor Pei-Wen shared, "This project doesn't feel like work; it's more like people with the same goal doing something fun and meaningful together." Outside the workshop, the two instructors also initiated an additional workshop for mending old clothing.
Forums as a Platform for Extending Values and Cross-generational Professional Exchange
Each of the two workshop instructors advocated their own perspective on sustainability—innovative solutions and possibilities especially valuable in today’s capital-driven society. Architect Hiroshi Ohno promotes reinterpreting local crafts through design, working with local people to create buildings rich in regional culture, thus achieving sustainable cultural preservation. Fashion designer Pei-Wen Jin advocates sustainable fashion design by applying design thinking to garment manufacturing and redesigning old garments to achieve zero material waste. Workshop participants were inspired by these lectures and continued to exchange ideas with the instructors beyond the workshop.
Integrating Local Needs and Aesthetics to Create an Intuitive Sense of Belonging
The workshop's final output, the, combined a bamboo structure made from locally sourced bamboo with a rain cover created by heat-pressing repurposed plastic bags commonly found in markets. With its modern appearance and vibrant local colours, the shade strikes a balance between the current U-mkt and the original Xinfu Market, establishing a friendly coexistence between newcomers and local residents.
