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Revitalizing area culture with a cozy NOOK

Swatches | April 1, 2020 | By:

The NOOK is a space purposely designed without a specific function in order to encourage the community to be spontaneous and use it in a myriad of creative ways. Photos: Yuchen Chao.

In the city of Taitung in Taiwan, there is a lot of history around
an old train station, abandoned for more than a decade. At one time, it was central to the region’s growth. Recently, city leaders wanted to revitalize the area by creating an inviting cultural space. 

They commissioned Portuguese creative studio FAHR 021.3®, known for working at the boundaries of art and architecture, to design an installation that would help draw people back to the train station. FAHR played with the concept of creating a space for nothing, the idea being that everything can happen in a space where there are no specific rules or requirements. It can foster a new beginning and a sense of freedom for all who visit.

The result was the NOOK, an inviting structure that can be used for a variety of activities. Measuring approximately 26 x 26 x 26 feet, the cube is covered with a semi-transparent white mesh, giving it a feeling of being lightweight and open despite its size and sturdiness. 

Visitors can enter the NOOK through one of the cube’s corners, which rises in the air as though a curtain is being lifted to welcome people. Inside, the unfinished space is simply four walls open to the sky. 

As it stands, the space can be used for people to wander about or for more formal purposes like concerts and exhibitions. For more information, visit www.fahr0213.com.

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