The Department of Landscape Architecture at Chung Yuan Christian University (CYCU) celebrates a major achievement, as Professor Wang Kuang-Yu received top honors at the 13th Taiwan Landscape Award on March 28, 2026, for the “Lanyang River Riparian Regeneration Project.” The project demonstrates CYCU’s strengths in interdisciplinary collaboration and national land resilience, while shaping a culturally rich green-blue corridor in Yilan.
The award ceremony was held at the Taipei Music Center, highlighting the critical role of landscape design in urban governance and environmental sustainability. Since 2023, Professor Wang has collaborated with the Yilan County Government to implement the project, integrating planning, design, and construction with community engagement initiatives such as landscape art workshops, environmental forums, and multimedia documentation. Completed in 2025, the project spans a 2.1-kilometer demonstration corridor around Qixian Redevelopment Park.
Breaking away from conventional large-scale engineering approaches, the project adopts principles of “low-impact design” and “rediscovering everyday landscapes.” Through interdisciplinary artistic practices—including photography, sound, dance, and video—it transforms local fields, waterways, and settlements into culturally expressive public spaces, encouraging people to rediscover the beauty of everyday environments. Professor Wang emphasized that the project aims to “reveal the inherent value of lived landscapes” by reshaping how people perceive their surroundings.
he Yilan County Government also commended the collaboration, noting that amid the pressures of high-speed rail development and the rapid growth of the technology sector, the project successfully preserved local water-based cultural practices and environmental textures. It stands as a concrete example of effective local governance and academic–professional collaboration.
According to jury convener Wang Yi-Chia, this year’s award-winning projects reflect the diversity of landscape practices in Taiwan and aim to further align with international recognition through the IFLA Awards. CYCU’s achievement not only demonstrates its professional excellence, but also highlights its potential to engage with the global landscape architecture community.
CYCU has long been committed to holistic education and social responsibility. Its Department of Landscape Architecture integrates design, art, and environmental engineering to translate academic research into tangible public works, showcasing strong interdisciplinary collaboration and sustainable practice. Moving forward, the university will continue to strengthen partnerships across academia, industry, and government to contribute to Taiwan’s urban and rural development.
