Project Overview

The purpose of the Changhua County Government's Department of Youth Development is to assist and counsel local youths through the government so that they can have a smoother path to entrepreneurship or career development. As a window to provide youth services, the " Startup Incubator For Changhua Young Entrepreneurs" reverses the seriousness and formalization of the public sector and takes airport imagery to shape a pleasant and bright atmosphere. Within the limited space, the project creates an interactive space for the youth, bringing them closer to each other.
The workplace combines the yellow and blue of the Department of Youth Development's corporate identity with geometric and linear elements. Minimalistic lines present a sense of speed and dynamism, leading young people to realize their dreams. The site is divided into an office, gallery, shared meeting room, and conference room. They implement multi-functional uses and connect various functions to meet the needs of young people in exchanging ideas and pursuing their dreams, as well as practicing time-sharing to enhance the utilization of space. The design team hopes to strengthen the Department of Youth Development through a vibrant and friendly interior design.

Organisation

Changhua County Government, Shanmu Integrated Design

Team

TZU-YANG CHIU, CHIH-HUNG TSAI, YUAN-HSIANG WU, WEI-TING LIU

Project Brief

The walkway leading to the restroom is an OMO (Online Merge Offline) showcase that interacts with the public. It displays local food and agricultural products, providing exposure for more quality brands and demonstrating the young talent and innovative energy embodied in the land of Changhua. The shared meeting room is well-lit, and books and publications are neatly displayed on the wall for visitors to read freely. On the other side, the conference room's stacked ladder-style chairs allow youth to participate in discussions in a comfortable manner, providing more possibilities for projects in the pipeline.

Project Innovation/Need

Integrating Brand Identity into Interior Design: The Department of Youth Development commissioned Ryan Zhan, an emerging designer, to create a new and unique brand identity. The project is conceived with the acronym C.H.Y. for Chang (C) Hua (H) Youth (Y), and the main colors of blue, which represents infinite possibilities, and yellow, which represents the courage to challenge the logo. The square and round shape of the logo symbolizes cohesion and tolerance. It is transformed from a brush stroke into lines and geometric shapes, conveying the three core concepts of connection, innovation, and future. Overall, the logo is like a power source, injecting new energy into the youth outlook through the policy drive of the Department of Youth Development.

Dual Function Conference Room: The design team incorporated the concrete stairs under the stadium bleachers into the ceiling. The stepped seating in the conference room creates a relaxed and open atmosphere for youths to meet exchange ideas and brainstorm. Whiteboards are placed on the walls to allow the youth to record creative ideas and select the best practices during the discussions. The sound-absorbing curtains in the center can divide the space into two, allowing meetings, presentations, podcast recordings, or other activities to take place at the same time.

Design Challenge

The site was an unused space underneath the spectator stand of Changhua Stadium. To transform it into a workspace, lighting was the most urgent problem to be solved. By keeping the windows and removing the partitions, the design team minimized the separation of the space and allowed outdoor light to enter the room. Reversing the traditional image of stadiums and offices for users and public authorities, the project is vibrant and colorful creating a functional and flexible workspace.

Sustainability

The design team kept the original horizontal windows and reduced the partitions to bring in natural light. As a result, staff can realize their potential in a bright and spacious space, which increases comfort and tranquility in the working atmosphere and reduces energy consumption for lighting. The SDGs signage on the wall of the meeting room conveys the concept of sustainability to every person who visits here.
Many of the furnishings are made of materials that can be disassembled and reassembled. People often go to the market to choose what they want to buy, but they have never thought that recycled baskets from the market can be used as a display stand after being stacked upside down. With lighting, the recycled table tennis table in the meeting room has been turned into a meeting table. The project gives waste a new lease of life by transforming it to create environmental and utility value. Instead of plastic bags, the Department of Youth Development incorporated branding into canvas bags to reduce the amount of plastic used.