As Nature Fashions: The Architecture of Liao Wei-li
Exhibition Period｜2018/01/13～03/11
Born in the small coastal town of Tongxiao, Liao Wei-li grew up among winding, organically scattered rural streets that stood in stark contrast to the rigid, highly planned layouts of major metropolitan cities. This formative environment left a lasting impression on his memory, instilling a deep appreciation for the unique charm of the un-systematized over the systematically ordered. Furthermore, coming of age during Taiwan’s postwar era of poverty and recovery, and witnessing the intense transitions through the White Terror to the lifting of Martial Law, Liao naturally developed a worldview that embraces pluralism and juxtaposition. This stands apart from the universally pristine, rationalist perceptions of Western Modernism. Liao’s path through architectural education was equally unconventional. His trajectory spanned hands-on technical vocational training, standard domestic university programs, and highly progressive graduate studies abroad. This atypical journey freed his imagination from the constraints of a singular educational mold, infusing his creative process with a beautifully complex, untamed wildness. Years ago, Liao introduced his signature "Scrub Forest" (Zamilin) concept to articulate his creative philosophy. This approach directly embraces the authentic, often messy contradictions between reality and idealism in architecture, championing a rich and multifaceted creative attitude. In recent years, he has elevated his understanding of architecture to a cosmic scale. Drawing from astronomical observations, he proposed an architectural "Cosmology," suggesting that the integration of various human activities and spatial relationships within a building mirrors the alignment of celestial bodies—requiring profound coordination and precise harmony to function. Liao’s architectural cosmos firmly retains the DNA of his "Scrub Forest" period. It rejects pristine, singular values and pristine imagery; instead, it is a highly speculative arena packed with the conflicting demands of everyday life. By synthesis-mapping these diverse elements—each with its own mood and state of being—he designs structures that are both intensely real and deeply moving. This exhibition decodes Liao’s personal philosophies, core values, and their direct manifestation in his recent works. The featured repertoire spans churches, art museums, bridges, and various civic buildings. Each project achieves a unique centrality by allowing different layers of elements and functions to exist in their absolute, necessary states. It is precisely this highly speculative quality that makes the metaphorical "Scrub Forest" and the conceptual "As Nature Fashions" (Zaohua) the primary subconscious framework of his entire oeuvre. Through this highly personal design showcase, Liao enriches Taiwan’s architectural aesthetics, rendering architectural discourse pluralistic and lively, while carving out expansive new horizons for all who step into his world.
Performance Highlights