Check-in Hsinchu: A City Reimagined Through Design

BIAS Architects and Associates Transform Hsinchu for Taiwan Design Expo

The Check-in Hsinchu project was born out of a socio-cultural investigation of Hsinchu city. The city, home to a flourishing Science Park, was found to be socio-culturally segregated from its historical urban center. BIAS Architects and Associates sought to bridge this divide, envisioning the city as a 'material database' that registers both historical and modern happenings. This narrative allowed for the integration of memory and innovation, fostering a hybrid living style.

The Taiwan Design Expo, an annual event promoted by the central government of Taiwan, aims to invigorate the design sector in relation to various fields of industry, society, and culture. In 2020, the event was hosted by Hsinchu, a city with a vibrant Science Park and a history spanning over 300 years. BIAS Architects and Associates took this opportunity to transform the Expo into an urban event, reimagining a line of places across the city, rather than focusing on a single exhibition. This bold move allowed people to experience the city's culture and sparked a change in their perspective towards urban space.

To implement the Expo at a city scale, BIAS curated a strategic set of interventions that guided people across the city. These interventions included a 'performance route', playgrounds in two plazas, and a series of large-scale inflatable sculptures, nicknamed the 'Monsters of Hsinchu', which served as landmarks symbolizing the city's new identity. A digital orientation system was also developed, providing digital access to all the contents and their location across a 2-km long virtual urban promenade. A shuttle bus was also introduced to ensure accessibility for all.

The Expo operated as a 2km-long line of events and temporary exhibition spaces, delivering a new narrative for the city of Hsinchu. The main aim of this narrative was to combine the Taiwan Design Expo with a festival capable of 'reconnecting' diverse aspects and areas of the city. This showcased how design can intervene in society and the 'software' of the urban realm.

The project faced several challenges, the most significant being the development of the narrative due to the political implications of the project. A large number of stakeholders were involved and an ad-hoc managerial system had to be developed. A system of consultants that could participate in the creative process and exercise socio-political influence was created to overcome this challenge.

The Check-in Hsinchu project was awarded Silver in A' Event and Happening Design Award in 2021. The A' Design Award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. These designs, admired for their strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, showcase a remarkable level of excellence and introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.