the social welfare building was built on a piece of government land that was rejected by almost every other department until huang made his case for the social welfare department to take it over. the reason for its rejection was the fact that it had once been a slaughterhouse. the building now sits around a courtyard on the edge of the street opening out to the communities on both ends through a brick paved path. rather than monumentality the building replicates the haphazard assembly of surfaces that make up the facades of houses in taiwan. red brick, concrete, even a hanging staircase. at the lower level on one end an open bathroom and toilet with seating around is for the homeless who shelter here in the rain and at night. a water fountain evokes the ghost of aalto. a stair leads up from here and takes you up to a monumental (relatively) auditorium on the second level. and from here a covered walkway with fanciful leaf like lights leads across the road to the edge of the river. here a tower with waiting areas marks the termination of the hanging bridge that is cantilevered off the vehicular bridge where there had been a few accidents when school going children were competing with trucks for the crossing. the hanging bridge is sways gently as you walk over it. through the grating you can see the grass sway and the river move. vines grow over the wire trellis along the way. small places to exercise and to play are placed on the bridge. at its centre the bridge also has a little nook tucked away on the other side where lovers romance or teenager scrawl their name on the surface of the bridge. below is a gymnasium for young men and swings where we swung. happy.
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