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Red Elevator
Atelier S.U.P.E.R.B.
A red bizarre volume rises from the ground, tightly attached to the old building in a parasitic-like form, so that people on the street can see this “Red ElevaTor”. Just as indicated in its name, this external elevator constructed from the original building arouses people’s imagination of extraterrestrial creature. In a sense, the heterogeneity of the intervention inspires the urban planning. Such an interesting idea comes from Atelier S.U.P.E.R.B., hoping to sow the seeds of change in the cities where we live.
Many governmental buildings have not been renovated for a long time, absent from accessible elevator. Such bids are common, but with solutions being function-oriented. Atelier S.U.P.E.R.B.’s team saw the “opportunity” of the city with a discerning eye, opening up the potential of the area with a bizarre volumetric symbol. At first, Yuanlin Branch, Local Tax Bureau, Changhua County, the owner, have not defined the exact location of the additional building, and therefore the circulation of the original building was given priority, then the external dynamics. As the elevator cannot be installed indoors on the first floor due to the reversed beam, the outdoor wheelchair accessible ramp can supplement to it functionally. The upper floor is located at the end of the moving line, adjacent to the stairs and far away from the interior of the toilet. In the end, the team chose the right side of the road, which is more recognizable from the outside, as the base, and fortunately avoided the septic tank under the ground.
The official symmetrical structure of the existing building shows the authoritarianism of the old days. The Red ElevaTor breaks the sense of symmetry and also attempts to liberate the image of the absolute government power, guiding people to see the open space below, just like towers on European squares that mark its openness. Although it seems to outstand from the others, the Red ElevaTor is actually an extension of the lines of the original building. The highlighted red also comes from the attached pale pink brick, and even though the architect You Hsien regards the Red ElevaTor as an alien object that departs from the frame, he recognizes that the parasitic building lays a foundation. “Not divorced from the original order but still very independent, the function of the elevator itself is such a structure. The water, electricity and space are dependent on the original building system.”
This little steel parasitic monster must be lifted to a certain height so that it can break away from the original building and become an urban landmark. Instead of landing directly, it lightly touches the ground with four feet to emphasize the identity of the building. Enriching the expression, the large and small openings also make the building visible, attracting people to explore inside. With the eye-catching colors, the contrasting blue and green decorate the interior, leading people to the entrance and riding area.
You Hsien is looking forward to more than that. He imagines that the front eaves of the opening will be equipped with lighting in the future, allowing people to have more interaction with the field, becoming an opportunity to change the urban space in Taiwan. He also hopes that as the original form of the building, it can be reproduced and adapted to various old buildings. Red ElevaTor not only meets the needs also causes people to explore the new and interesting, thereby making us ponder “what urban look to expect,” is a charming and philosophical building.
一座紅色的異形量體拔地而起，以寄生的型態緊緊附著於舊式建築體，街邊的人們遠遠就能窺見「紅E梯」的身影，這是一棟由原建築增生的外部電梯構築，形如其名，予人宇宙生物的遐想，意義上以介入的異質性啟發都市規劃的思考，如此趣味橫生的點子來自建築團隊極製設計所，期待在我們生活的都市中撒下變化的種子。許多公家機關的建物年久未更新，缺乏無障礙升降梯，這樣的標案時常可見，但解決方案都是機能導向，極製設計所的團隊以慧黠的雙眼看見都市裡的「機會」，藉由一座奇異的量體標誌出場域潛力。
起初業主彰化縣地方稅務局員林分局沒有設定增建確切的位置，因此原建築體的動線首先納入考量，再來才思考外部動態，一樓由於反梁結構無法在室內停靠電梯，可與戶外無障礙坡道機能互補，上方樓層則是利用位於動線末端，鄰近樓梯並避開衛廁之腹地，最終選定以外部道路較能辨識的右側作為基地，也幸運的避開了一旁地面下的化糞池。
既有建築的官式對稱結構是威權時期的足跡，紅E梯的植入破壞了對稱感，也試圖解放政府機關的權力形象，指引人們看見下層的開放空間，就像歐洲廣場上的塔，有著標誌廣場開放性的效果。紅E梯看似與眾不同，卻是由原建築體線條的尺規延伸構成，顯眼的紅色也是從依附的淡色粉磚面而來，即便建築師游麲認為紅E梯是一個跳脫框架的異質物件，也意識到被寄生的建築提供了養分基礎，「不脫離原本秩序但仍要很獨立，電梯本身機能就是這樣的構造物，水與電還有空間，都是依附原本的建築系統」
這座鋼構寄生小怪物必須拉高到某個尺度，才能脫離原本的建築體，跳出背景成為都市地標，不若一般建築直接落地，而是以四隻腳輕觸地面，強調著建築體的自明性；大小開口豐富了表情，也提供穿透感，讓人想往內一探究竟；以及使用吸睛的色彩，讓對比色藍綠色作為內裡，引導人們至入口搭乘處。
建築師游麲期待的不只這些，他想像開口的前簷在未來能裝上照明，讓人們與場域有更多互動，成為改變台灣都市空間的契機，也期待作為建築原形，是可被複製並且適應各種舊建築體。紅E梯不僅回應了需求，也引起人們探索新奇與趣味，更使我們深思「期待什麼樣的都市面貌」，是一座有魅力且讓人產生哲思的構築。
