Taiwan's Campus Aesthetic Revamp Shines on the Global Stage, Garnering Awards and Media Praise
To create more aesthetically pleasing learning environments, the Ministry of Education commissioned the Taiwan Design Research Institute to implement the "Design Movement on Campus Program". This initiative employs design thinking to address campus issues, proposing innovative redevelopment plans to transform schools into immersive ones that cultivate aesthetic appreciation. Since its launch in 2019, the program has completed aesthetic transformations for 91 schools, earning accolades, awards and attention from major domestic and international media outlets.
Recently, many projects under the program have achieved even further success. For instance, the redesign of Chung Feng Elementary School in Puli, Nantou County, emerged victorious among 5,773 entries to win the prestigious 2024 Good Design Award in Japan. Additionally, Taipei Municipal Fuxing High School and Hudong Elementary School in Changhua County(which received the same Good Design Award in 2023), have also drawn significant attention from global media outlets such as Japan's NHK television channel and Thailand's influential creative magazine, art4d.
Chung Feng Elementary School features old mahogany trees that survived the devastating 921 Earthquake. An outdoor platform built around three ancient trees had deteriorated due to years of weathering. The design team collaborated with craftsmen to weave climbing nets and create multi-level steel structures with organic forms, offering students a layered space for ecological exploration. This innovative platform extends the seasonal ecology teaching courses within the School-based Course, giving children new perspectives to connect with nature.
The 2024 Good Design Award jury in Japan lauded the project for its soft landscape design that harmoniously blends with nature. They highlighted how it fosters hands-on, interactive learning experiences with the trees while unlocking new possibilities for site exploration.
Taipei’s Fuxing High School, which prioritizes life education, sought to provide its adopted stray cats and dogs with a safe and behaviorally appropriate living space. This area also serves as a platform for teachers and students to interact with teaching and sharing experiences in life education. The design team utilized the semi-outdoor space between two buildings and created an extended fan-shaped platform to provide a suitable environment for the school’s rescued stray animals, fostering interaction and learning opportunities.
This newly designed entrance area not only allows for the observation of animal behavior and habits to create a safer, sheltered living space but also serves as a base for the school's animal welfare club to promote life education. The fan-shaped platform, built around trees, incorporates water and electrical facilities for a showering area while also serving as an open space for teachers and students to interact with the animals outside of class hours. Recently, this project caught the attention of Japan’s NHK program, “Embracing Cats and Dogs Worldwide: Taiwan Edition,” which featured actress Yuriko Ishida visiting the school to document its harmonious coexistence with the animals.
The rhythm classroom at Hudong Elementary School in Changhua County previously suffered from poor visibility, inadequate lighting, and a confined layout. Its structure and interior design limited the effective use of this teaching space. The design team focused on "creating an inspiring and creative learning environment" as their core concept, incorporating it into four main design areas: linear lighting, spot lighting, display systems, and projection systems. These elements guided various dynamic and static activities, transforming the space into a versatile rhythm classroom and multifunctional display area. This renovation not only enhances students' interest in learning but also provides diverse opportunities for parents and community groups, turning the space into a creative hub connecting the school and the community.
This project has received recognition through the 2023 Golden Pin Design Award, the Japan Good Design Award, and the 2024 Taiwan Interior Design Award. It has also garnered attention from numerous domestic and international media. Throughout this process, the school has placed greater emphasis on campus aesthetics, actively pursuing related projects to gradually transform the overall learning environment. The magazine art4d noted that this project goes beyond renovating an old classroom; it integrates beauty into campus life, allowing students to develop in a space imbued with thoughtful design. This approach not only enhances their learning experience but also extends the influence of aesthetics beyond the school grounds.
The Design Movement on Campus Program recently gained international recognition through an interview with the UK’s authoritative design magazine, Wallpaper. The article highlighted Taiwan's accomplishments in enhancing campus aesthetics, showcasing examples such as the renovation of a music rehearsal room at Kuang Jen Catholic High School in New Taipei City and a sensory training classroom for special education students at Tainan Municipal Sinhua Elementary School. The program’s mission, described as "redefining campus spaces through creativity and design to create more attractive and impactful educational environment", shows that Taiwan's aesthetic education is within sight of all eyes through worldwide education promotion.
The Design Movement on Campus Program will continue to embrace user-centered design thinking, further integrating innovative content within teaching and course approaches with environmental transformation. Establishing benchmark cases for the future campus learning environments, and gradually expanding and applying these to the professional development spaces for teachers, will enhance the environmental aesthetic capabilities of educational administrators and in-service teachers. The initiative aims to promote the overall aesthetic literacy of campus environments. This program has pioneered new concepts for learning spaces beyond traditional themes, highlighting innovative teaching environments that respond to evolving learning trends. These are key concerns for both frontline educators and parents who are investing in their children's learning environments.
For more details on the Design Movement on Campus Program, visit the official website at https://campusfield.design.org.tw/.
Related Links:
Thailand’s art4d magazine article on Hudong Elementary School: https://art4d.com/en/2025/01/light-room-roof.
NHK television program feature on Fuxing High School:
https://www.nhk.jp/p/ts/X81L6WNXV8/episode/te/ZZK7781YNX/.
Video link: https://vimeo.com/1043921681 (1:03:30 mark).
Japan the Good Design Award for Chung-feng Elementary School: https://www.g-mark.org/en/gallery/winners/24268?text=Taiwan&years=2024.
UK’s Wallpaper magazine interview on the Design Movement on Campus Program: https://www.wallpaper.com/design-interiors/taiwan-schools-design-movement-on-campus.
