For the Taiwan Lantern Festival, Cheng Tsung FENG developed Temple: Flame Tree, an installation inspired by the royal poinciana, the official city tree of Taiwan. Known for its vivid red blossoms that mark the summer season and accompany local graduation traditions, the flame tree serves as the project’s conceptual foundation.

The pavilion translates the tree’s characteristic form into a large-scale spatial structure composed of bent wooden planks and a metal support frame. These elements create five fan-shaped components arranged in a pentagonal configuration around a central circular platform. The composition references the spreading canopy of a mature flame tree while establishing a defined spatial enclosure. Subtle gold detailing along the edges enhances the structural outline and responds to both daylight and nighttime illumination.

all images by FIXER Photographic Studio

Cheng Tsung FENG Designs Pavilion for Gathering and Public Use

Access to the central platform is provided through five stairways positioned between the structural ‘petals.’ Outside performance periods, visitors are able to move through the installation, entering the interior space formed by the radiating elements. This approach positions the work as both a sculptural object and an accessible public environment.

Through its geometric layout, material selection, and layered lighting effects, Temple: Flame Tree by Taiwanese artist Cheng Tsung FENG connects the symbolic role of the flame tree with spatial practices associated with ritual and gathering. The installation functions as a temporary architectural landmark, situating cultural references within a contemporary framework for public interaction.

Temple: Flame Tree installation, designed for the Taiwan Lantern Festival

bent wooden planks form the fan-like structural components

the pavilion draws inspiration from the royal poinciana’s branching canopy

five radiating ‘petals’ create a pentagonal spatial layout

a metal support frame anchors the large-scale wooden structure

stairways between the petals guide visitors toward the interior space

gold-edged detailing highlights the outline of each structural petal

daylight emphasizes the texture of the bent timber surfaces

visitors can walk through the radiating structure outside performance times

the central circular platform serves as the core of the installation

timber curvature showcases traditional bending techniques in a contemporary form

the installation creates a sheltered environment for gathering and reflection

the installation functions as both sculpture and temporary architecture

project info:

name: Temple: Flame Tree

artist: Cheng Tsung FENG | @chengtsungfeng

event: Taiwan Lantern Festival

location: THSR Display Zone, Tainan, Taiwan

adviser: Ministry of Transportation and Communications

organizer: Tainan City Government

curator: Urban Art Studio

project design: Chan Wei HSU, Hong Lin LIU, Sheng WANG

structural analysis: Chien Chuan Engineering Consulting Co.

woodwork: Weige Interior

metalwork: Wen Chin HSU

lighting design: Oude Light

lighting engineer: Beamtec Lighting

photographer: FIXER Photographic Studio | @fixer_photographic_studio

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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Cheng Tsung Feng unveils Dragon Palace III in Kinmen, Taiwan, an outdoor installation that draws from the ancient horseshoe crab as both architectural form and cultural symbol. Set on Kinmen Island, where the species has long shaped local ecological and mythological narratives, the work translates the distinctive anatomy of the creature into a timber-and-canvas structure that operates as part shelter and part sculptural landmark. The project draws on Feng’s deep engagement with traditional craft, using wood, rope, and fabric to evoke the creature’s protective shell while creating a space for communal gathering and reflection.

The core structure of the installation emerges from an arching wooden framework that echoes the curvature of the horseshoe crab’s carapace. White canvas is draped in layered sections over the timber skeleton, forming an enclosure. Intentional gaps allow beams to pierce through the surface, creating moments where sharp edges interrupt the smoothness of the canvas. This interplay recalls the duality embedded in the creature itself, whose body is shaped for defense yet delicate in its ecological role, a so-called ‘living fossil’ that has endured for more than 400 million years.

all images by Fixer Photography Studio

Dragon Palace III draws from the Horseshoe Crab shell

Through Dragon Palace III Kinmen, Cheng Tsung Feng turns the primordial figure of the horseshoe crab into a space that carries ecological memory and communal resonance. The Taiwanese artist’s installation becomes a ceremonial chamber, defined by filtered daylight, timber ribs overhead, and the tactile simplicity of natural materials. The construction techniques that include tying, bending, and binding reference island traditions while keeping the structure resolutely contemporary. Visitors step into a sanctuary that frames Kinmen’s connection to land and sea.

As evening arrives, soft light spreads across the canvas shell and along its elongated, tail-like extension, introducing a dreamlike quality that shifts the reading of the form. The structure appears to stir, as if a mythic creature has surfaced from the shoreline. This nocturnal presence hints at the island’s folklore, echoing the idea of hidden palaces rising from the sea and blurring distinctions between natural history and imagination.

Cheng Tsung Feng unveils Dragon Palace III in Kinmen, Taiwan

the outdoor installation draws from the ancient horseshoe crab

set on Kinmen Island, where the species has long shaped local ecological and mythological narratives

the work translates the distinctive anatomy of the creature into a timber-and-canvas structure

part shelter and part sculptural landmark

rhe project draws on Feng’s deep engagement with traditional craft

using wood, rope, and fabric to evoke the creature’s protective shell

a space for communal gathering and reflection

the core structure of the installation emerges from an arcing wooden framework

echoing the curvature of the horseshoe crab’s carapace

white canvas is draped in layered sections over the timber skeleton

intentional gaps allow beams to pierce through the surface

as evening arrives, soft light spreads across the canvas shell and along its elongated, tail-like extension

project info:

name: Dragon Palace III Kinmen
artist: Cheng Tsung Feng

location: Jinning, Kinmen, Taiwan

photographer: Fixer Photography Studio | @fixer_photographic_studio

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: thomai tsimpou | designboom

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Located in Shima Park, Xiaobantian, Nantou, Bamboo Theater by Taiwanese artist Cheng Tsung FENG reinterprets the traditional bamboo theater, a once-common feature of temple festivals and community celebrations across Taiwan. Constructed from bamboo scaffolding, these temporary theaters historically served as cultural gathering points, combining craft, performance, and social exchange. Today, such structures have largely disappeared, replaced by modern frameworks and standardized materials.

In this project, FENG revisits the typology through contemporary stage design. The installation employs materials familiar to contemporary theater-making, including bamboo, wood, metal, rope, and tape, bridging historical craftsmanship with present-day construction techniques.

all images by FIXER Photographic Studio

Interwoven Bamboo Framework Shapes the theater in Nantou

The form of Bamboo Theater is defined by a radial arrangement of bamboo poles of varying lengths. Emerging from the central rear of the stage, the poles intersect and fan outward to create an open semicircular backdrop. Thick and slender bamboo members are interwoven and bound with rope, forming a net-like structure that recalls traditional scaffolding systems while maintaining structural clarity and visual rhythm. The woven density of the rear wall provides both support and texture, enhancing the depth and atmosphere of the performance space. At the front of the platform, bamboo poles are aligned in a linear formation, complemented by strips of white tape extending outward on the ground. This graphic treatment continues the stage’s radiating geometry, visually integrating the installation with its surroundings.

Beyond its symbolic reference, Bamboo Theater operates as an active public space. It accommodates community performances, cultural events, and everyday use, offering seating and shade within the park setting. By merging vernacular construction methods with contemporary materials and spatial language, artist Cheng Tsung FENG demonstrates how traditional building culture can adapt to modern contexts, preserving continuity while allowing for reinterpretation.

Bamboo Theater stands in Shima Park, Xiaobantian, Nantou, Taiwan

the installation reinterprets Taiwan’s disappearing tradition of bamboo theaters

the structure employs bamboo, wood, metal, rope, and tape in its construction

interwoven bamboo members create a net-like structural framework

a radial arrangement of bamboo poles defines the theater’s open form

bamboo poles extend outward in a fan-like pattern from the rear of the stage

rope bindings recall the logic of traditional bamboo scaffolding systems

traditional craftsmanship meets contemporary stage-building materials

the woven backdrop provides both structural stability and visual depth

varying pole thicknesses produce rhythm and texture within the design

white tape on the ground highlights the stage’s radial geometry

the theater merges vernacular building methods with modern construction

the installation operates as a functioning stage for community events

project info:

name: Bamboo Theater

artist: Cheng Tsung FENG | @chengtsungfeng

location: Shima Park, Nantou, Taiwan

organizer: Agriculture Department, Nantou County Government
curator: Chitiansky Co., Ltd.
project designer: Ching Chen CHANG, Hong Lin LIU, Chan Wei HSU
structural analysis: Chien Chuan Engineering Consulting Co
surveying: Yuhui Surveying Engineering
woodwork: Weige Interior
metalwork: Wen-Chin HSU
bamboo structure: Quan Sheng Bamboo Scaffolding
lighting design: Oude Light
lighting engineer: Beamtec Lighting

photographer: FIXER Photographic Studio | @fixer_photographic_studio

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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At Danongdafu Forest Park in Guangfu Township, Hualien, Taiwan, artist Cheng Tsung FENG designs Nesting Plan VII: Formosan Wild Boar. The outdoor installation translates the nest-building behavior of the native Formosan wild boar into architectural form. The project is part of FENG’s ongoing Nest Plan series, which investigates the construction practices of animals and reinterprets them through human craftsmanship and building materials. By studying the boar’s instinctive nesting methods, FENG develops a structural system that reflects both the animal’s habits and its spatial logic.

Constructed from locally sourced Japanese cedar and Makino bamboo, the installation draws from two behavioral patterns: the piling of dry grass and branches to form a protective enclosure, and the animal’s tendency to rest inside the nest while facing the entrance, a posture of alertness to the external environment. These observations are translated into a series of interlocking pentagonal and hexagonal frames that overlap from front to back, forming a semi-spherical enclosure reminiscent of a curled body at rest.

all images by FIXER Photographic Studio

Layered bamboo and wood structure shapes FENG’s installation

Around the wooden framework, bamboo branches wrapped in white tape create a layered surface that references the texture of wild grasses. The interplay between the rigid geometric structure and the loose, fibrous exterior gives the work both architectural order and organic fluidity. Inside, a circular arrangement of benches defines a shared central space. The interior provides shade and seating, while encouraging visitors to experience the sense of concealment and attentiveness found in the animal’s nest. The installation serves as both a small gathering point for outdoor activities and a quiet resting place within the forest park. Through Nesting Plan VII, artist Cheng Tsung FENG continues his exploration of how natural behaviors can inform spatial design, positioning the work as a study in coexistence between human architecture and animal habitats.

Nesting Plan VII: Formosan Wild Boar by Cheng Tsung FENG at Danongdafu Forest Park, Hualien

the installation translates the nest-building behavior of the Formosan wild boar into architectural form

the work is part of FENG’s ongoing Nest Plan series exploring animal construction and spatial intelligence

constructed from locally sourced Japanese cedar and Makino bamboo

interlocking pentagonal and hexagonal frames form the structure’s geometric framework

inside, circular benches define a central space for gathering and reflection

the form is inspired by the way wild boars pile grass and branches to build protective enclosures

overlapping layers create a semi-spherical enclosure resembling a curled body at rest

reflecting the boar’s instinct to rest inside its nest while facing the entrance in alertness

visitors experience the spatial logic of concealment and attentiveness found in the animal’s nest

the bamboo exterior is wrapped in white tape, evoking the texture of wild grasses

the layered bamboo skin softens the precision of the wooden framework

the design creates a dialogue between rigid geometry and organic material expression

project info:

name: Nesting Plan VII Formosan Wild Boar

artist: Cheng Tsung FENG | @chengtsungfeng

location: Danongdafu Forest Park, Hualien, Taiwan

adviser: Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Hualien Branch
curator: Sen Shen Studio, Kao Kung Chi Studio

project designers: Ching Cheng CHANG, Chan Wei HSU
structural analysis: Jian Quan Engineering Consultants
woodwork: Yi Chuang Timber Structure
metal work: Rui Yang Laser
lighting design: OuDe Light
lighting engineer: Beamtec Lighting

photographer: FIXER Photographic Studio | @fixer_photographic_studio

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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For Roppongi Art Night 2025, Taiwanese artist Cheng Tsung FENG presents Sailing Castle: Roppongi, a site-specific wooden installation located at Tenso Shrine, one of the district’s most historic sites with a 641-year legacy. The work continues FENG’s Sailing Castle series, initiated at the Taiwan Lantern Festival in 2019, and marks its sixth iteration.

The installation takes form from the outlines of Roppongi’s iconic architecture, including the National Art Center Tokyo, Suntory Museum of Art, Tokyo Midtown, 21_21 Design Sight, Mori Tower, Sumitomo Roppongi Grand Tower, and Roppongi Crossing. These profiles are abstracted, merged, and reassembled into a singular timber structure that reflects both the city’s urban identity and the traditional craft techniques used in its making.

all images by FIXER Photographic Studio

Modular Timber and canvas Composition forms Sailing Castle

FENG’s Sailing Castle series explores the relationship between architecture, memory, and cultural symbolism. Each work interprets a city’s skyline as a collection of sails gathered in a harbor, structures that both anchor and move through time. In Sailing Castle: Roppongi, this concept is materialized through a framework of interwoven wooden components, where light and shadow define the contours of the city’s silhouette.

The installation’s structural composition recalls boat-building logic and shrine carpentry, integrating modular joints and rhythmic layering. Its lighting scheme transforms the wooden framework into a glowing form that shifts between visibility and transparency, inviting viewers to perceive Roppongi’s architecture as a fluid and collective identity. Through this installation, the artist establishes a dialogue between urban memory and ritual space, positioning Sailing Castle: Roppongi as both a temporary monument and a reflection on how architectural form can become a vessel for shared cultural narratives.

Sailing Castle: Roppongi by Cheng Tsung FENG at Tenso Shrine

wooden installation reinterprets Roppongi’s architectural silhouettes

site-specific work created for Roppongi Art Night 2025

timber framework reinterprets Roppongi’s urban skyline

outlines of iconic landmarks merge into a single wooden form

profiles of Roppongi’s architecture are abstracted and reassembled

interwoven wooden components evoke both sails and skyline.

light and shadow define the structure’s changing silhouette

boat-building logic and shrine carpentry inform its construction

modular joints and rhythmic layering shape the installation’s form

a lighting scheme transforms the structure from solid to translucent

the glowing timber framework creates a dialogue between past and present

the illuminating installation forms intricate shadow patterns on the ground

FENG interprets the city’s skyline as a harbor of gathered sails

project info:

name: Sailing Castle: Roppongi

artist: Cheng Tsung FENG | @chengtsungfeng

location: Tokyo, Japan 

project designer: Chan Wei HSU, Chen PENG
structural analysis: Chien Chuan Engineering Consulting Co.
woodwork: Weige Interior Design
metalwork: Yichang Laser
canvas: Meichiangkuang Advertising
lighting design: Oude Light
lighting engineer: Beamtec Lighting
international shipping: Cheng-hang Global Logistics CO., Ltd.
assembly support: Chung Sheng HSU, Kuan Chen CHEN

photographer: FIXER Photographic Studio | @fixer_photographic_studio

organizer: Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Arts Committee (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture), Minato City, Roppongi Art Night Executive Committee (The National Art Center Tokyo, Suntory Museum of Art, Tokyo Midtown, 21_21 Design Sight, Mori Art Museum, Mori Building, Ractive Roppongi）
co-organizer: Agency of Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, MCST Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Korea, Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, Korea Embassy, Korean Cultural Center, Ministry of Culture Taiwan

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All Together Under the Umbrella is a large-scale installation by artist Cheng Tsung FENG that transforms the symbolic Hakka oil-paper umbrella into an architectural structure of three interconnected canopies. The work, standing in Qingpu Park No. 11, Taiwan, explores themes of gathering, protection, and shared space through spatial interpretation of traditional craft.

In Hakka culture, the oil-paper umbrella represents unity, reunion, and destiny. Its Chinese character, 傘, contains repeated figures of ‘person’ 人, symbolizing human connection and interdependence. Drawing from this linguistic and cultural foundation, FENG expands the umbrella into a set of three radiating forms that merge craft tradition with contemporary spatial design.

all images by FIXER Photographic Studio

Cheng Tsung FENG examines the umbrella’s form as a shared space

The installation’s design process began with a detailed study of the Hakka umbrella’s structure, its ribs, proportions, and joint mechanisms. By deconstructing and reconfiguring these components, artist Cheng Tsung FENG developed a new system of interlaced umbrella frames that form a continuous overhead canopy. The result is a semi-enclosed environment defined by rhythm, repetition, and structural clarity. At the center of the installation lies a small pocket garden surrounded by circular wooden benches, establishing a connection between human activity and natural growth. The canopy itself is made of perforated canvas, allowing light and air to filter through. During the day, it produces a shifting pattern of shadows; at night, it emits a gentle luminosity, and in the rain, its angled planes channel water away in a functional echo of the traditional umbrella.

From a central axis, the three canopy forms extend outward, creating a geometric configuration that changes with the viewer’s position. The space functions as both a shelter and a site of encounter, where material craft and architectural composition converge. Through this installation, All Together Under the Umbrella, elements of Hakka heritage are reinterpreted into a contemporary spatial framework that invites collective experience and reflection.

All Together Under the Umbrella reimagines the Hakka oil-paper umbrella as an architectural structure

three interconnected canopies form the core of Cheng Tsung FENG’s large-scale installation

located in Qingpu Park No. 11, Taiwan, the work creates a shared public space

the installation explores ideas of gathering, shelter, and human connection

the canopies radiate outward, merging craft tradition with architectural design

circular wooden benches create a link between human presence and nature

FENG translates the cultural symbolism of the umbrella into contemporary spatial form

a small pocket garden occupies the center of the installation

deconstructed and reconfigured ribs form a new interlaced canopy system

the perforated canvas canopy filters light and air through its surface

in the rain, angled planes channel water away, echoing the umbrella’s function

at night, the structure glows softly like a lantern

the three canopy forms shift in appearance as viewers move through the space

project info:

name: All Together Under the Umbrella

artist: Cheng Tsung FENG | @chengtsungfeng

location: Qingpu Park No. 11, Qingpu Exhibition Zone, Taoyuan, Taiwan

dimensions: 10.2×10.5×10.1 m
materials: wood, canvas, lacquered iron, LED lighting

adviser: Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan City Council
organizer: Taoyuan Department of Cultural Affairs, World Hakka Expo
curator: Feng Design

project designer: Hsu Chan-Wei, Wang Sheng
structural analysis: Chien Chuan Engineering Consulting Co.
woodwork: Weige Interior
lighting design: Oude Light
lighting engineer: Beamtec Lighting

photographer: FIXER Photographic Studio | @fixer_photographic_studio

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Cheng Tsung FENG’s Meeting Dome is a large-scale spherical installation in Fugang, Taoyuan, that reinterprets the weaving technique of the traditional Taiwanese bamboo chair. The project continues the artist’s exploration of artisanal practices, translating everyday craft into spatial form.

The installation expands the chair’s woven seat into a monumental structure. Thin bamboo strips are layered in parallel and extended across a hexagonal metal framework, producing a continuous lattice surface. The composition recalls the Chinese character for ‘person’ (人), emphasizing both structural balance and human connection.

all images by FIXER Photographic Studio

Feng’s Open Bamboo Sphere encourages gathering and reflection

The open geometry keeps the sphere permeable from all sides, encouraging visitors to move through, gather, and interact. As light filters through the bamboo layers, shifting patterns of shadow animate the ground and create shaded areas beneath the dome. Inside, bamboo stools are arranged in varied groupings and heights around a central planting of local Taoyuan vegetation. This spatial layout invites pause and interaction, recalling the informal ways neighbors once gathered on bamboo chairs in village streets, under trees, and in alleyways.

By magnifying a familiar household object, artist Cheng Tsung FENG’s Meeting Dome transforms a utilitarian craft into an architectural experience. The interplay of bamboo and metal merges tactile materiality with structural clarity, while the installation as a whole reflects on memory, community, and the role of everyday objects in shaping shared space.

Meeting Dome by Cheng Tsung FENG rises as a bamboo-woven sphere in Fugang

the installation reinterprets the weaving of traditional Taiwanese bamboo chairs

bamboo stools are placed in varied groupings and heights

thin bamboo strips extend across a hexagonal metal framework

parallel bamboo layers form a continuous lattice surface

the dome remains permeable, inviting visitors from all sides

craft and architecture merge in the magnified bamboo weave

a central planting of Taoyuan vegetation anchors the space

everyday craft is translated into monumental spatial form

geometry and material emphasize balance and connection

light filters through bamboo, casting shifting shadows on the ground

the project bridges memory, material, and communal interaction

seating arrangements encourage rest and interaction

a humble chair becomes an architectural experience of light and space

project info:

name: Meeting Dome

artist: Cheng Tsung FENG | @chengtsungfeng

location: Fugang, Taoyuan, Taiwan

materials: bamboo, wood, lacquered iron, LED lighting

project design: Chan-Wei HSU
design team: Sheng WANG, Hung Lin LIU, Ying Chun WENG, Che Wei CHANG, Wei Che HUANG, Hsing Chien CHIEN, Jui Yi CHIEN
structural analysis: Chien Chuan Engineering Consulting Co.
construction: Weige Interior
painting: Crown Paint Waterproof Engineering
lighting design: Oude Light
lighting engineer: Beamtec Lighting

organizer: Taoyuan City Government, Taiwan Railways Administration
adviser: Taoyuan City Council
executive units: Vision Management Consultants Inc., Fengshe Cai Co., Ltd., Hegu Creative Integration Marketing Co., Ltd.
curator: Hui-Lan CHANG

photographer: FIXER Photographic Studio | @fixer_photographic_studio

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At the historic Wenwu Temple in Lukang, Changhua, artist Cheng Tsung Feng completes Theatre, a vast bamboo installation that reinterprets the disappearing tradition of temporary opera stages once central to Taiwanese temple festivals. Built from thousands of interlaced poles, the work stands as a contemporary architectural structure and a living reminder of a cultural form that once defined community gatherings but is now seldom seen.

Theatre takes inspiration from bamboo stages that, until recent decades, were rapidly erected for opera performances and temple celebrations across Taiwan. Feng’s structure echoes this ephemerality while translating it into an experiential space. The framework is composed of a strict vertical-horizontal grid of bamboo lengths, softened by split bamboo strips that trace sweeping arcs across the facade and ground plan. 

images courtesy of Cheng Tsung Feng

audience Becomes PerformeR in theater’s Stage of Light

Visitors are invited to step inside the Taiwanese artist’s installation by climbing bamboo stairways that lead to the broad central platform. Once within, they are enveloped by the transparent grid, where light filters through the slatted walls and floors, and the tactility of bamboo comes to the fore. In the daytime, the stage becomes a resting ground, a place to gather or to play. By night, lit by glowing festival lamps, the installation transforms into a ceremonial space that recalls the atmosphere of traditional opera performances with their color, spectacle, and sense of shared ritual.

As people move through Theatre, they oscillate between the roles of audience and performer, embodying the cyclical exchange at the heart of theater itself. Feng’s project situates memory within lived experience, animating tradition through participation. Standing before the centuries-old Wenwu Temple, the bamboo theater draws in festival visitors and passersby, offering them a space to rest, play, or perform.

Cheng Tsung Feng completes Theatre in Taiwan

a vast bamboo installation that reinterprets the disappearing tradition of temporary opera stages

built from thousands of interlaced poles

the work stands as a contemporary architectural structure

the framework is composed of a strict vertical-horizontal grid of bamboo lengths

split bamboo strips trace sweeping arcs across the facade and ground plan

visitors are invited to step inside the installation by climbing bamboo stairways

the stairs lead to the broad central platform

light filters through the slatted walls and floors

the tactility of bamboo comes to the fore

the stage becomes a resting ground, a place to gather or to play

by night, lit by glowing festival lamps, the installation transforms into a ceremonial space

recalling the atmosphere of traditional opera performances

project info:

name: Theatre
artist: Cheng Tsung Feng

location: Lukang, Changhua, Taiwan

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: thomai tsimpou | designboom

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Taiwanese artist Cheng Tsung Feng brings his Sailing Castle installation to the historic West Central District of Tainan, where the work rises along the city’s canals near the site of a former shipyard from the Japanese colonial period. Conceived as an architectural fleet frozen at sea, the large-scale timber structure reinterprets the cityscape as a constellation of ships, reflecting on Tainan’s four centuries of Han cultural history. Through its layered wooden sails, the installation invites visitors to experience the city’s architectural heritage as a voyage that moves simultaneously across time, memory, and place.

all images courtesy of Cheng Tsung Feng

Cheng Tsung FENG shapes light, wind, and memory

With Sailing Castle, Cheng Tsung Feng crystallizes the silhouettes of city skylines into sculptural form. The Taiwanese artist reimagines architectural profiles as sails, transforming recognizable structures into components of a poetic fleet. For this Tainan edition, the artist drew inspiration from local landmarks such as Fort Zeelandia, Chihkan Tower, Confucius Temple, Nankunshen Daitian Temple, and Anping Kaitai Tianhou Temple. Rooflines, fortress walls, columns, and gables merge into the wooden structure, their outlines reinterpreted as overlapping sails that rise into a dynamic yet harmonious composition.

By day, the timber sails catch natural light and project a sense of vitality; by night, the structure shimmers with illumination, casting a glowing silhouette against the waterfront that recalls both the historic skyline and the spirit of maritime journeys. Visitors are encouraged to walk among the sails, pause on integrated seating, and feel the wind passing through the wooden lattice. This experience evokes the sensation of boarding a ship ready to depart. More than a visual statement, the work becomes a tactile and atmospheric encounter: a place of congregation, a site of transition, and a poetic reimagining of urban space.

Sailing Castle is conceived as an architectural fleet frozen at sea

the artist reimagines the ctiy’s architectural profiles as sails

rooflines, fortress walls, columns, and gables merge into the wooden structure

their outlines are reinterpreted as overlapping sails that rise into a dynamic yet harmonious composition

the work becomes a tactile and atmospheric encounter

at night, the structure shimmers with illumination

Sailing Castle serves as a poetic reimagining of urban space

visitors are encouraged to walk among the sails and pause to reflect

a glowing silhouette against the waterfront that recalls both the historic skyline and the spirit of maritime journeys

project info:

name: Sailing Castle Hai’an
artist: Cheng Tsung FENG

location: Tainan, Taiwan

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom

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Cheng Tsung FENG has completed a floating shelter for call ducks as part of his ongoing Nesting Plan series, a body of work that translates the nest-building strategies of animals into architectural design. Human construction techniques and woven rope materials bring the design to life. Previous works in the series include structures inspired by the Gray-Cheeked Fulvetta, Green-backed Tit, Crested Serpent Eagle, White Wagtail, and Black Bulbul.

Commissioned by Swiio Villa Yilan, the latest project introduces a shelter system designed for the ducks inhabiting the villa’s pond. The shelters provide protection from seasonal conditions, including Taiwan’s hot summers and typhoon periods, while creating comfortable living spaces for the animals.

all images by FIXER Photographic Studio

pinecone-like wooden huts provide refuge for ducks

Artist Cheng Tsung FENG began the design process with research and prototype testing. An initial hut was placed in the pond, and the ducks’ interactions with it were recorded by the villa staff. This feedback informed a series of refinements, including adjustments to buoyancy and window height, ensuring the structures matched the ducks’ natural behaviors and preferences.

The final installation consists of four floating wooden huts, each built in different scales and proportions to accommodate the pond’s population and movement patterns. The shelters are clad in slanted wooden shingles arranged in overlapping layers, providing ventilation and weather resistance while recalling the geometry of a pinecone. Circular windows were incorporated into each hut, allowing visibility both for the ducks and for villa guests, who can observe them using telescopes provided on-site. Inside, the huts are fitted with automatic lighting that activates during winter nights or at designated times, creating warmth for the ducks and producing an illuminated display across the water in the evening.

Cheng Tsung FENG designed floating shelters for call ducks at Swiio Villa Yilan

the series translates nest-building strategies of animals into architectural design

the design provides ducks with protection from wind and rain

the final installation includes four floating huts in varied scales

overlapping wooden shingles create protective and ventilated shells

different sizes accommodate the ducks’ population and movement patterns

the shingle arrangement recalls the geometry of a pinecone

circular windows allow ducks to peek outside the shelters

rope weaving and human construction methods shaped the structures

automatic lighting inside the huts activates on winter nights

the illumination creates warmth for the ducks during colder months

at night, the glowing shelters form a striking display across the pond

the project is part of the artist’s ongoing Nesting Plan series

project info:

name: Nesting Plan VI Call Duck
artist: Cheng Tsung FENG | @chengtsungfeng

design team: Chan Wei HSU, Ying Chun WENG, Kuan Wei WU, Ching Cheng CHANG
woodwork: Weige Interior
location: Yilan, Taiwan

photographer: FIXER Photographic Studio | @fixer_photographic_studio

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