This semester, the Indigenous Bachelor’s Program in Design at Chung Yuan Christian University’s College of Design is using Fuxing District in Taoyuan as an important field-based learning site, integrating Indigenous culture and local knowledge into the design curriculum.
Four courses across the first three undergraduate years are engaging students directly with Atayal communities in Fuxing. Through the study of traditional Atayal houses, timber and bamboo construction, and material use, students are gaining a deeper understanding of the structural knowledge, craftsmanship, and cultural meanings embedded in traditional architecture.
By bringing university courses into Indigenous communities, CYCU is strengthening the connection between design education and the lived realities of land, culture, and community, creating a more grounded and meaningful learning experience.
Kuan-Jung Chiang (Luma Fu), Director of the Indigenous Bachelor’s Program in Design, noted that classroom images often show only the final form of a building. Once students enter the community, however, they begin to ask deeper questions—why a house is located where it is, how materials are selected, and how architecture responds to the surrounding mountains, forests, and everyday life of the community.
He emphasized that the value of field-based learning lies in encouraging students to observe carefully, ask questions, and understand design within its cultural and environmental context, making the learning process more meaningful and in-depth.
Four courses participated in the field-based program: Design and Cultural Creative Practice in Indigenous Communities, Advanced Indigenous Design, Ecology and Culture, and Community Field Study.
First-year student Sheng-Hsiung Hung shared that learning on site gave him a more complete understanding of traditional Indigenous timber construction and helped him see that a house is not simply a physical structure, but is closely connected to the natural environment, material choices, and ways of life. Other students also noted that moving from understanding the site and identifying issues to hands-on practice gave them greater space for independent exploration, making learning more active and participatory.
The courses also build on CYCU’s ongoing partnership with Fuxing District, Taoyuan. Following the signing of a letter of intent between CYCU’s Center for Indigenous Education and Design Industry Research and the Fuxing District Office, the two sides have continued to collaborate on cultural preservation, design education, and youth development. A traditional Atayal house completed through this partnership this year has also become an important teaching site. According to Kuan-Jung Chiang, every aspect of the house—from material selection and construction methods to spatial use—reflects the community’s accumulated knowledge and offers students a valuable resource for understanding traditional architecture.
The initiative is further supported by a Ministry of Education Teaching Practice Research Program titled “Building Back Home: Design-Based Reconstruction of Indigenous Bamboo Houses and Interdisciplinary Teaching Practice in Fuxing District, Taoyuan.” Led by Kuan-Jung Chiang and co-implemented with faculty members Chi Wang and Tien-Ming Yu, the project integrates multiple courses and guides students step by step from site observation and cultural understanding to design development and hands-on practice.
CYCU’s Indigenous Bachelor’s Program in Design, established in 2013, admits 15 students each year through a dedicated admissions process. The program focuses on integrating Indigenous culture with professional design education, helping students develop both cultural understanding and practical design capabilities.
Beyond academic training, CYCU’s Indigenous Student Resource Center provides support in areas including academic advising, student well-being, and career development. Guided by its commitment to holistic education, CYCU continues to foster an inclusive and supportive learning environment where Indigenous students can grow academically, professionally, and personally.
