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 Leading
Taiwan Architect J.M. Lin Comes to ICLP
(ed. Hsiang
Nien Hsu)
On February
27, 2009,
ICLP hosted world-renowned architect J.M.Lin, principal
architect of J.M. Lin Architect/ The Observer Design Group. Lin’s company
has won many awards for outstanding design, including the prestigious
German iF Design award. Lin will soon redo the
interior design of ICLP’s Stanford building on
the NTU campus, and he shared his ideas about architecture in Taiwan, design, operational difficulties
as well as his previous projects with the Bulletin. (Above Left: Ming Ho Elementary School. Nantou, Taiwan, 2000; The Architectural Review (U.K.) – Emerging Architecture Award, 2003)
“Architecture is producing a
space,” says Lin. “That’s our business. We start with the space, the
environment as the base. Then we consider the people who will populate the
place. These two elements are the basis of any project that we do.” Lin has
imbued these principles into all of the projects that he has worked on in
the past, including the National Taiwan Museum and the China Times Building. One of Lin’s goals is to put Taiwan on the map as a place of leading
architecture and design. “When I used to show people around Taiwan, I would purposefully have them
arrive at night and leave at night so they wouldn’t see the buildings,” Lin
joked. “But I really do believe Taiwan is at a turning point. We have a
great opportunity to become a leading design center.”
 And what about Asian design? “I’m
really interested in the Pan-Asia concept. It’s like Chinese food: there
are so many varieties: Sichuan, Yunnan
Style, Shanghainese, Cantonese – all with their
distinct tastes, yet all distinctly Chinese,” says Lin. He notes that it is
important for Taiwanese architects to forge a brand as well as a pan-Asian
identity. The foundation for brand building, he believes, is grounded upon
the ability offer clients a complete solution. “Ideally, when I take on a project, I
want to do everything: the exterior design, graphic design and interior
design. “ (Above Right: Taiwan Foundation for Democracy. Taipei, Taiwan 2003; AIA New York Chapter Design Award—Architecture Merit Award, 2006.)
When asked about how a young
person aspiring to be a designer should go pursuing that dream, Lin
remarked, “There’s no set path. The best advice I can give young people out
there considering a career in design is this: give yourself room to grow,
give yourself room to make mistakes. And practice, practice, practice.”
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