Taitung County Children's Story House

The Taitung Children's Story House was transformed from the former dormitory of the Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation in Taitung, becoming the first county-level children's story house in Taiwan. Covering approximately 3,150 square meters, the site holds historical and social significance. During its renovation, the designers preserved two old buildings with strong Japanese architectural style and a century-old banyan tree, turning the area into an ideal place for family visits, reading promotion, and cultural education.

The story house retains the main architectural structure from the Japanese colonial period, a time when reinforced concrete was not yet widely used. The building's beams and columns are made from hinoki cypress, and the walls consist of bamboo frames coated with a natural mixture of clay, cow dung, and straw. Entirely built from natural materials, the structure stays cool in summer and warm in winter, demonstrating durability over time and aligning well with modern green building principles.

There are two notable design features inside the story house. The first is the "grass wave" lawn design, inspired by Taitung’s mountains and sea. It breaks the conventional image of flat grass fields by forming undulating shapes like waves or hills, creating a strong sense of nature. The second is the preservation of the original air-raid shelter structure. The outdoor stage is designed as a sunken space with projection lighting, contrasting the wartime imagery of people taking refuge in shelters with the joyful performances of children today. This interplay of past and present highlights the preciousness of today's peace and happiness.