A'tolan House

Residence

A’tolan is the word meaning, “a place with many rocks”, from the indigenous language of the natives on the east coast of Taiwan. It may also be interpreted as “piling of rocks”, “building wall with rocks”, or “a house made out of rocks.”

A'tolan House is a unique residence located on the eastern seaboard of Taiwan, adjacent to the Pacific Ocean. The structure is built on a narrow rectangular foundation, approximately 90 meters in length and 30 meters in width, following the north-south axis. At approximately 60 meters down the axis from the north, the structure turns 130 degrees east, representing the downward slope from west to east in three levels.

The design of A'tolan House is inspired by the physical characteristics of the site and the heritage of the indigenous people. The bend in the coastline defines the shape of the structure, while the natural slope forms three terrace levels. The indigenous craft of building with rocks, known as a'tolan, establishes the theme of the design.

The house is made using stone and water, integrating seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. The goal of the project was to submit to the innate characteristics of the site and blend symbiotically into the environment. The minimal living quarters, determined by the minimum requirement of space, create infinite possibilities.

The construction of A'tolan House started in July 2014 and was completed in August 2015. It is located on the eastern seaboard of Taiwan. The design team, led by Create + Think Design Studio, included Designer Director Arthur Ho, Designer Yih-Heng Lee, Site Manager Sheng-Ying Wang, and Site Supervisor Jia Lin Wang/Chan-Yuan Hsu.

A'tolan House was awarded the Silver A' Design Award in 2016 in the category of Architecture, Building, and Structure Design. This prestigious award recognizes the outstanding expertise and innovation demonstrated by the design. The house showcases a remarkable level of excellence, combining strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, while evoking positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.