Old dormitory renovation balances with residents' needs / 舊警察宿舍空間改造 盼賦予老屋新生命　　　　　　　　　　

In Taiwan, urban renewal projects very often fail to recognize the actual needs of local residents, and the result is that many finished buildings remain empty for years. Therefore, it is becoming more important for architects and designers to be present in the community and listen to what people really want. In Keelung, a group of people working on renovating an old police dormitory are trying to do just that. Keelung used to be a prosperous city, but in recent years, an outflow of local businesses and population has drained the port city of sparkle and dazzle. This four-story tall police dormitory in the city used to be home to dozens of officers and their family, but now, only five households still live here. Recently, the Keelung city government partnered with architecture students to transform the building and named the project "86 design apartment," based on its address. But since there are still residents in the complex, what the team sets its minds on naturally has to be in line with the needs of those who still live here. ==GUO MENG-YU, Curator, 86 Design Apartment== Residents in the building are mostly seniors, so when we give out handouts, we design them in large-print. We're also working on events that would interest people of their age, for example, there's an upcoming hand-made soap workshop. To minimize the gap between its vision and local needs, the group behind the design apartment invited ASSEMBLE STUDIO, a UK-based architecture collective known for its participatory approach in community regeneration, for a one-day workshop. ==ANTHONY ENGI-MEACOCK, Assemble Studio== Architecture generally is quite exclusive. As a profession, as a system, it's about imposing or inserting solutions rather than being something that's much more organic. We started from the beginning as a very instinctive reaction against that, and that kind of still underlines most of our projects so far--this idea that, as many people as possible, design is an inclusive process rather than an exclusive one. In 2015, Assemble Studio won the Turner Award with its Granby Four Streets Project, a community regeneration endeavor where they demonstrated their philosophy at its best. By working with local residents, who mostly belong to the working class, and putting emphasis on local know-how accumulated through generations, their work puts in the center the needs of local residents, rather than the ego of young designers. ==ANTHONY ENGI-MEACOCK, Assemble Studio== The biggest lesson, like the one big lesson that we generally say is just go in with an open mind and listen. The biggest thing is giving yourselves enough time and enough space to be present in a place without imposing yourself on it. This is perhaps also why the theme of the workshop they're holding is focused on coming up with a solution that is based on the local marine economy, takes into consideration local differences and addresses local needs. Meanwhile, the practical approach that Assemble adopts when executing a project is also a shining example for other practitioners. ==GUO MENG-YU, Curator, 86 Design Apartment== For example, if they found an empty lot near their studio, they would first carry out a thorough analysis that includes budgeting and evaluating whether there's enough justification for going further, and that process is maybe just what we need. Without local participation, regeneration projects run the risk of community rejection and even the violation of land justice. As such, the traditional top-down approach must change. For the team behind 86 design apartment, the key to a better future built together with local residents lies nowhere but in listening and communicating. REPORTER：JEFF CHANG 港都基隆曾經繁華一時，但近年來卻因為人口與產業外移，失去原有的生命力。位於東明路的一棟四層樓警察宿舍，曾是許多警察與眷屬的歸宿，但隨著多數居民搬遷，也逐漸蕭條。最近，基隆市政府與建築系學生合作，賦予老空間新生命，以門牌號碼命名為「86 設計公寓」。特別的是，這棟公寓裡還有五戶居民，因此在空間與活動設計上，一定得考量在地居民的需求，加强溝通。 ==八六設計公寓策展人 郭孟瑜== 因為住戶在這裡偏老年人為主 所以我們都會特別給他們 大字版的文宣給他們 我們現在也有開始想一些活動 是這個年齡層的居民有興趣的 譬如說手工皂的活動 為了讓自己的努力和居民沒有斷層，這次英國社造團體 ASSEMBLE STUDIO 來台，公寓團隊也邀請舉辦工作坊。ASSEMBLE STUDIO 向來以參與式社區再造聞名，去年更獲得英國當代藝術大獎透納獎。 ==英社造團隊ASSEMBLE STUDIO成員 恩基密考克== 建築這個行業和體制 具有强烈排他性 總是在別人身上強加解決方案 而不是以有機自然的方式找答案 我們就是因為本能上不認同這種現象 才開始經營ASSEMBLE 我們所有的案子的核心理念 就是設計應該廣納百川 而不是自造樓閣 ASSEMBLE STUDIO 在 2015 獲得大獎肯定，靠的是社區再造計劃【葛蘭比四條街】，而秘訣就在團隊成員，有效和老舊社區內以勞動階級為主的現存居民密切合作，強調在地世代累積的智慧，而不至於讓年輕人的文創喧賓奪主。 ==英社造團隊ASSEMBLE STUDIO成員 恩基密考克== 過程中我們學到 最重要的就是要放開心胸 仔細聆聽 我覺得關鍵就在於 給自己足夠的時間和空間 走進社群 但不把自己強加於社群 也因此，這次工作坊的主題，正是從基隆海洋經濟出發，考量鄰里特色，發想符合在地需求的空間提案，而 ASSEMBLE STUDIO 執行專案的務實態度，也值得台灣團隊做為參考。 ==八六設計公寓策展人 郭孟瑜== 譬如說他發現他們工作室 旁邊有一塊地 他們就要做一個計畫評估 包含他們的預算等等 還有執行上的目的 到底有沒有足夠等等 這些評估 我覺得或許是我們會缺乏的 社區再造，如果少了在地居民的參與，不但可能引發反彈，甚至會違反土地正義，傳統由上而下的模式，勢必要改變。對八六設計公寓團隊來說，如何與居民共創未來，最好的答案，就是傾聽與溝通。 記者 張家福 劉漢麟 基隆報導