Head Is Not Empty

I had many thoughts tumbling through my mind during my first three days in Taiwan.

I try not to do too much background research before experiencing a new place for the first time, so I arrived in Taiwan with 0 expectations. But, there were a few thoughts that I did expect on the morning I arrived:

“Um, what does this say on the menu?”
“This tastes amazing!”
“Ugh, is the hotel ready for check in yet?”
“This is so cool.”

Those thoughts were the most prominent as 3 other classmates and I walked heavy-footed through the sparse, humid, and colorful streets of Da’an District in Taipei. Hours before, we had met up at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 5 am and trekked to Da’an District to drop off our luggages at our hotel, Just Sleep. Since check-in wasn’t until 3 pm, we spent 6 jet-lagged and semi-delirious hours exploring Taipei.

Of the many moments that morning, the ones where I was sitting and stuffing my face with my friends were the most memorable. I bit into the softest pork bao bun I’ve ever had (loved it so much I would revisit days later), enjoyed sharing a variety of noodle dishes with my group on the side of the street, and –despite having a dislike for americanos– downed a honey americano glass at a cafe full of university students.

The next few days were less about stuffing my face (although that did occur) and more about learning Taiwanese history and design with the National Taiwanese University students. I enjoyed exploring Da Dao Chen, a historic riverside shopping district, and observing its traditional architecture: from the perfectly rounded brick arcade, the intricate, stone motifs outside of homes, and the colorful signs of restaurants and shops seemingly growing from the sprawl of stone, brick, and concrete buildings. As our tour guide pointed out small details throughout the street, I understood from the level of preservation the buildings were in that historical design is highly cherished here. Visiting Taiwan Design Research Institute (TDRI) and observing the organization’s award-winning projects, I noticed that a visual theme in Taiwanese design is that typography feels soft, composition is minimalistic, color and form feels youthful. There is also a deep respect for the environment. My favorite project from TDRI was the Cicada project where their sound waves were made physical and could be played through a speaker– as a display, the variety of Cicada sound waves and illustrations were beautifully organized. As a concept, the level of detail and care put into each Cicada species were admirable– the passion of the designers behind the project felt palpable.

At the end of my third day, my thoughts sounded more observant of Taiwan’s culture.

“Everything feels so organized”
“Transportation is so simple to navigate”
“I feel safe”

I learned from an NTU student that Japan’s colonization of Taiwan left a lasting impact on the country. She described Taiwan as a cultural mixture of mainland China and Japan. She discussed where Taiwan might take from Japanese design, fashion, and courtesy, but might take other aspects from Mainland China. As I observe more of my environment and speak to more Taiwanese locals, I hope to understand more of how Taiwan’s history impacts its beliefs, values, and systems, and how that might affect the way designers think. I had many thoughts during my first three days here, and I’m excited to see how the next couple of weeks eventually evolve the way I observe and think about culture, people, and design.