Owning a home is an aspiration that adds meaning to the lives of hard-working people. Real estate advertisements on the street are full of happy images of the ideal home.
Over the past 100 years, Taiwan has experienced two major regime changes and waves of migration, both of which have inspired today’s modern residences and housing culture. Japan and the United States have particularly influenced the development of housing architecture in Taiwan. In response to the challenges associated with post-war migration and settlement, governments have attempted to mitigate housing demand via public housing policies.
Following the economic prosperity, industrialization and urbanization of the 1960s, contemporary housing landscapes in Taiwan shifted to intensive and industrial production. With standardization and mass production in mind, our homes came to resemble a wide variety of housing products, and were built in urban areas using modern construction systems.
Housing today does more than just fulfill a fundamental need; it also serves as a tool for investment and profit. Consumerism over time has led to skyrocketing prices and ensuing social issues, as housing becomes unaffordable to many.
When did owning a home become such an unattainable dream? Why is home ownership so difficult now?
This exhibition focuses on modern housing issues in Taiwan, as well as reviews historical contexts and dynamic social evolutions during and after the war. The exhibition engages in a process of reflection to encourage audiences to discuss the future of housing.