Taiwan Tech Architecture Faculty and Students Join Transnational Design Exchange, Exploring Kunio Maekawa’s Architecture and Urban Cultural Networks
The Department of Architecture at Taiwan Tech participated in the 2026 East Asia Five-University Urban and Architectural Design Exchange Workshop (2026 Summer FEAU Workshop), held from July 30 to August 7, 2026, in Yokohama, Japan. Hosted by Kanagawa University in Japan, the event brought together faculty and students from universities across East Asia—including Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand—to foster transnational architectural education and urban design exchanges through design workshops, keynote lectures, architectural tours, and urban fieldwork.
Originating in Yokohama, Japan, in 2006, the East Asia Five-University Workshop has been held continuously for 20 years. Rotated among participating institutions, it has progressively established a long-term, stable platform for international architectural design exchange. This year’s workshop was themed “Momijigaoka Cultural Network – Learning from Maekawa –” and used Yokohama’s Momijigaoka district as its design site. Grounded in urban history, architectural culture, and local context, the workshop explored sustainable development and innovative design for future cities.
The Momijigaoka district preserves several significant works of modern Japanese architecture, including landmark projects by architect Kunio Maekawa. Maekawa, who apprenticed under the master of modern architecture Le Corbusier, had a profound influence on the evolution of modern architecture in Japan. Through on-site investigations and design critiques, the workshop guided students in re-evaluating the relationships among architecture, the city, and the cultural environment.
Approximately 60 faculty members and students from across East Asia participated in the event. Taiwan Tech’s Department of Architecture was represented by Professors Fu-Fei Yang, Chia-Mei Li, and Chuan-Hsuan Lin, who led nine students to Japan. Joining peers from diverse national and cultural backgrounds in multinational teams, they collaborated on urban and architectural design schemes. Through intensive dialogue and collaboration, students not only deepened their understanding of Japanese urban and architectural culture, but also honed their skills in cross-cultural communication, teamwork, and international design practice.
This workshop continues the Department of Architecture’s pedagogical mission to actively promote international exchange and cross-institutional collaboration. By stepping outside the classroom to observe, reflect, and formulate design responses within a real-world urban context, students expanded both their global perspective and practical horizons in architectural education.
Event Video
Event Information
Event Name: 2026 East Asia Five-University Urban and Architectural Design Exchange Workshop_2026 Summer FEAU
Workshop Host Institution: Kanagawa University, Japan
Event Dates: July 30 – August 7, 2026
Design Theme: Momijigaoka Cultural Network – Learning from Maekawa –
Design Site: Momijigaoka Area, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Participating Institutions:
Taiwan_National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
Japan_Kanagawa University
South Korea_Sungkyunkwan University
Thailand_King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi
Event Materials: 2026 FEAU Workshop Report