2009年4月7日 星期二

A vertical metal-sheet house

I had observed a unique phenomenon of metal sheet houses in Taichung. Unlike other Asian cities, metal sheet houses are combining living and business in Taichung, not just built for residential use. I try to find the causes behind such a special building type. The urban lands have been constantly subdivided over time when they were inherited or new roads were laid out. Therefore, how to make the best of these fragmented urban lands for profits before they are re-planned become critical for house owners in Taichung. This also results in the unique building types of Taichung.

Before 1960, Taichung was a low density town. After 1990, urban lands became subdivided and fragmented because new roads and large urban blocks were laid out over the existing town. It caused a lot of irregular and narrow building sites.
We can see the transition process of building types in Taichung city in this slide. In the long waiting process for formal redevelopment, how to build the temporary building with higher profits on these narrow lands becomes an important issue.
Through this chart, we realize that metal sheet house is more competitive than other building types. Owners of the land can get their spending cost back sooner by rapid constructing and demolishing of metal sheets and structures. Demolished materials from a metal sheet house can be recycled for profits.
A vertical metal-sheet house.

When the land re-planning becomes the main strategy for Taichung to increase land value, most owners of the fragmented urban sites expect their lands to be re-planned in the future. In this situation, a concrete building seems to be too expensive even it can last for 40 years. Therefore, a metal-sheet house which is expendable and adjustable becomes a perfect solution to this problem.


The forms of metal sheet houses are based on their locations. Most two-story metal sheet houses are built at the low-priced regions as factories or shops. On the other hand, four-story metal sheet houses are built at high-priced regions.
The steel-frame structural system covered with cheap metal sheets makes it easy and quick to construct. It can then get the profits through storefront or house rental. Either type will take advantage of its outer walls for commercial billboards with elevated iron structures for obtaining larger visual areas.
Such kind of metal sheet houses are dispersed all over Taichung city waiting for land re-planning. They are similar to cookie-boxes, which are temporary, adjustable, disposable, tailored for most visual display and spatial usage, to maximize return on investment. As a result, we may consider this kind of building as a cookie box house.

They are like goods on the shelf and marks Taichung as a cookie-box city for multiplying information and efficiency.
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