How Should We View Old Houses? And what are the origins of the old house renewal movement?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Amid the “Formosa Audacity” aesthetic popular on social media, old houses often appear as a retro trend, sparking debates about nostalgia and style. However, the nearly 111,000 buildings over half a century old across Taiwan island represent a tangible and dilapidated reality within our urban development. This is an issue on display now that demands our focused attention to find solutions for today and tomorrow. In recent years, many homeowners, entrepreneurs, and design professionals have entered the field of old house renewal. However, the ideal often clashes with reality, giving rise to a series of challenges: Where does the funding for restoration come from? How can a balance be struck between historical context and modern functionality? How can a sustainable business model be established?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response to the many questions arising from old house renewal projects, the X-Basic team has spent two years distilling our first-hand practical experience and industry observations into a book. “Beyond Aged: 32 Inspiring Stories, a Sustainable Guide to Activating and Restoring in an Era of Aging Buildings” is available for pre-order today and will be officially released on September 24th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It’s not about ‘activating’ a case, but about turning the dream of preserving an old house into a strategic plan with multiple viable paths”.
– Chien Chao-cheng | Cultural Director, Qingtian 76<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Chien Chao-cheng notes, the core of the case studies in “Beyond Aged” is “method”. Our team traveled across Taiwan to document over 32 old house renewal projects. Through interviews with owners, restorers, and operators, we recorded not only the final beauty of these matured spaces but also meticulously reconstructed the detours and turning points along the way. The book includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u274f Conceptual Clarification | Defining the value of old house preservation by analyzing specific cases, from the historic railway buildings’ revival to the transformation of hospitals, homes, and department stores, to outline a new framework for Taiwan’s heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u274f Case Studies | Analyzing the human stories behind 32 projects. We spoke with BakerHouse about utilizing old house spaces; we visited teachers from diverse ethnic groups at Heritage Official Residence of Nan Gou Gunshu to see how education saved an old house from demolition, turning it into a living classroom for future generations; we analyzed the innovative “rent-before-renovating” model at Kaohsiung Simple-Basic Apartment, which allows tenants to find their place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u274f Practical Q&A | Systematically addressing common challenges in old house renewal, from legal assessments\/regulations and design planning to restoration work and business models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u258cForeword<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u3000Returning old houses to the flow of life, and cultivating the nutrients for the future. – Chang Sheng-lin
\u3000An opportunity to move our old houses toward a sustainable city – a return to the revitalization and reuse of everyday life. \u2013 Jung Fang-chieh<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u258cPreface<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u3000We Need “Old Houses” – Hsiao Ting-hsiung<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u258cPart I\u30fbAn 8-Point Encounter with Old Houses<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u3000Q1. Is My House Considered an Old House?
\u3000Q2. The Reasons for Renewal
\u3000Q3. It’s Complicated to Start, But How Difficult Is It?
\u3000Q4. Is Restoring an Old House Expensive? How Do I Find Subsidies?
\u3000Q5. The Many Trials and Dialogues on the Path of Old House Renewal
\u3000Q6. Exploring the Diverse Values of Old Houses
\u3000Q7. Is Managing an Old House a Field of Study?
\u3000Q8. Old House Renewal: A Lived Trajectory of Intertwined Lives<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u258cPart II\u30fbThe Beauty and Sorrow of Old Houses<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u300001. The Dawn and Vision of Old House Renewal – A History of an Emerging Concept and a Preservation Movement
\u300002. The Rebirth of the Historic Railway Buildings – Challenges and Opportunities in Historic Railway Buildings
\u300003. The Different Paths of Three Buildings of a Certain Age – Lukang Baichuan Hospital, Chang-Yuan Hospital, and Chiayi
\u300004. More Than Just Restoration: Facing the Business Challenge – The New Life Model of Three Family Homes
\u300005. Where Old Houses Meet Modern Society – Four Department Stores as Witnesses to the Evolution and Renewal of Taiwan’s Old Houses<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u258cPart III\u30fbClassic Case Studies of Maturity in Old Houses<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u300001. Baimiweng Fort | Qing Rule Period | Cultural Space
\u300002. Backerhouse | Qing Rule Period | Commercial Space
\u300003. Yuan Gu Creative Shop | Qing Rule Period | Cultural Space
\u300004. Chang-Yuan Hospital Lukang Historical Image Museum | Qing Rule Period | Mixed-Use Space
\u300005. Sukina B&B | Qing Rule Period | Commercial Space
\u300006. Qingtian 76 | Japanese Rule Period | Commercial Space
\u300007. Rongjin Gorgeous Time | Japanese Rule Period | Mixed-Use Space
\u300008. Hehe Qingtian | Japanese Rule Period | Commercial Space
\u300009. Xinpu Pan Jinhe Residence | Japanese Rule Period | Commercial Space
\u300010. OR House | Japanese Rule Period | Commercial Space
\u300011. Neng Gao Club B&B | Japanese Rule Period | Commercial Space
\u300012. Heritage Official Residence of Nan Gou Gunshu | Japanese Rule Period | Educational Space
\u300013. Jianguo Military Dependents\u2019 Village | Japanese Rule Period | Mixed-Use Space
\u300014. Kaohsiung Prison Official Residence Group | Japanese Rule Period | Mixed-Use Space
\u300015. Huang\u2019s Old Mansion | Japanese Rule Period | Residential Space
\u300016. Hayashi Department Store | Japanese Rule Period | Commercial Space
\u300017. Hueish Sheng Hospital | Japanese Rule Period | Educational Space
\u300018. ArtDe Corner | Japanese Rule Period | Cultural Space
\u300019. Keelung Pazihmen Power Plant | Japanese Rule Period | Post-war | Commercial Space
\u300020. National Museum of History | Post-war | Cultural Space
\u300021. Bike Space Station | Post-war | Residential Space
\u300022. College of Human Ecology and Building of Educational Affairs, Shih Chien University | Post-war | Educational Space
\u300023. Taichung Fourth Credit Cooperative | Post-war | Commercial Space
\u300024. Workstation JK | Post-war | Mixed-Use Space
\u300025. Kaohsiung Simple-Basic Apartment | Post-war | Residential Space
\u300026. Chuhuangkeng Mine | Post-war | Mixed-Use Space
\u300027. Taiping Tobacco Market | Industrial | Cultural Space
\u300028. SAN-HE Tile Factory | Industrial | Mixed-Use Space
\u300029. Kaohsiung Port Warehouse No.2| Industrial | Commercial Space
\u300030. Cijin Social Innovation Base | Industrial | Mixed-Use Space
\u300031. Taiwan Pineapple Museum | Industrial | Cultural Space
\u300032. Yamato Coffee Roasters | Industrial | Commercial Space<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u258cAppendix – A Starter’s Guide to Old House Renewal: Q&A on Activation<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u300001. Preliminary Investigation, Evaluation, and Process for Old House Restoration
\u300002. Integrating Design and Construction in Old House Spaces
\u300003. Reuse and Operational Management of Old Houses<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u258cExpert & Scholar Recommendations<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u3000[Recommendations in Order]
\u3000Chang Sheng-lin | Professor, Graduate Institute of Architecture and Urban-Rural Studies & Vice Dean, College of Innovation and Design, National Taiwan University
\u3000Jung Fang-chieh | Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Environmental and Cultural Resources & Humanities and Social Sciences Program, National Tsing Hua University
\u3000Chairman, Ancient Sites and Cultural Education Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u3000[Recommendations]
\u3000Chien Chao-cheng | Cultural Director, Qingtian 76
\u3000Lu Yao-chung | Director, Architectural Research and Design Center, Feng Chia University
\u3000Lin Hsiao-wei | Architecture Professor, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chairman, Taiwan Cultural Heritage Society
\u3000Ling Tsung-kuei | Building & Cultural Heritage Worker
\u3000Huang Chun-ming | Associate Professor, Cultural Heritage Center, Chung Yuan Christian University
\u3000Huang Yun-shu | Principal Architect, Atelier TimeScape
\u3000Huang Chin-hua | Founder of Daily Classic; former Director, Youth Development Administration, Changhua County Government
\u3000Hsieh Pei-chuan | Chief Advisor, X-Basic Planning Co., Ltd.
\u3000Chung Hsin-i | Firm Architect; Chairman of the Board, Foundation for the Preservation of Ancient Sites and the Promotion of Culture and Education
\u3000Su Ming-hsiu | Associate Professor, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology
\u3000Su Ying-min | Associate Dean, College of Design; Professor, Department of Architecture, National Taipei University of Technology
\u3000Wu I-yen | Founder, ArchiWalk Co-Creation and Integration Co., Ltd<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u274f Publication Date\uff5cPre-orders open on 9\/17 \u1d21\u1d07\u1d05. on online bookstores, officially launched on 9\/24 \u1d21\u1d07\u1d05. through all network channels.
\u274f Pre-order Period\uff5c2025. 09. 17 \u1d21\u1d07\u1d05. \u20132025. 09. 23 \u1d21\u1d07\u1d05.
\u274f Pre-order Channels | Books.com.tw<\/a> \/ Eslite<\/a> \/ Taaze<\/a> \/ Kingstone<\/a>
\u274f Book Price | NT$ 660<\/p>\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2788,"template":"","format":"standard","tags":[480,481,482],"xb-news-category":[318],"class_list":["post-2608","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-x-basicpublicationproject","tag-beyondaged","tag-newbooklaunch","xb-news-category-featured-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n