June edition of Taiwan Architecture Magazine edited by PRIVACY researcher Hui-Yi Yang
The June edition of Taiwan Architecture Magazine, which is curated by Centre for Privacy Studies guest researcher Hui-Yi Yang as a guest editor, was released on June 1st.
This edition focuses on House Museums; spaces that once served as homes and later assumed the role of museums, and encompasses themes such as residential architectural heritage, habitation history, and exhibitions.
The different roles played by House Museums across various time periods have created tensions of functional separation or mutual exclusion within their spaces. Preserving the essence of a “home” while turning it into a museum without compromising its historical authenticity and sustainability is an issue many scholars and architects are exploring continuously.
We have interviewed Hui-Yi about the magazine as well as her interest in house museums, residential architectural heritage, and habitation history.
How would you describe the June edition of Taiwan Architecture Magazine and its significance?
The June edition of Taiwan Architecture Magazine features a selection of house museums across Europe, offering readers in Taiwan an overview of the conservation and curation of historic houses. The discipline of conservation, derived from the Athens Charter (1931) and the Venice Charter (1964), has been practiced in Europe for a long time. By learning from the experiences of conserving and curating house museums and understanding the challenges they encounter today, I hope this edition encourages readers to reflect on their own conservation efforts for historic houses.
What got you into the study of house museums? How was that interest sparked?
I have been interested in the interplay of habitation history and houses/homes since my time working as an architectural designer in Taiwan, where I primarily focused on housing renovations. This experience led me to study historic houses. During one of my master's projects in Spatial Design at the Royal Danish Academy I proposed a writers’ residency and house museum for Danish writer Tove Ditlevsen’s childhood home in Vesterbro.
My practice and study of historic houses have deepened my interest in house museums and I am continuously exploring the potential roles that historic houses can play today beyond merely serving as house museums.
What kinds of residential architectural heritages interest you, and why?
I am interested in residential architectural heritage that reveals the traces of changes in households, families, and individuals. Observing these spatial interventions in response to evolving needs provides valuable insights into how homes should be flexible and adaptable. The most intriguing aspect for me is understanding how modifications in space not only accommodate change but also transform the essence of the home itself.
What is habitation history to you, and what does it contribute?
I am interested in how the history of habitation at home reflects the cultural and social backgrounds of a given time and how these factors shape the space of the home. Investigating the use of space from cultural and social perspectives can be challenging due to the unique nature of each family and individual, but this complexity is what makes the case studies so intriguing to analyze. While there may be similar patterns in the use of homes within the same society, the smaller changes or distinct habits of inhabitants highlight the uniqueness of each household. This understanding could inform architects on how to design homes that adapt to actual usage in a local context over time incorporating changes based on individual habits and preferences.
How would you describe the boundaries between public and private in a home museum?
House Museums, now legally open to the public, transform once relatively private spaces into public exhibits creating a fascinating dynamic. The boundary between public and private becomes difficult to define and observe when visitors position themselves in the house museum as it is intertwined with the history of the home and its current exhibition. This boundary can also vary significantly depending on how the museum curates and positions the audience in the space of the house.
How does one approach curation in a home museum?
The curation of house museums tends to maintain the authenticity of historic houses by preserving them as they were. International concepts of monument restoration and preservation largely adhere to the guidelines of the Athens Charter (1931) and the Venice Charter (1964), which emphasize using authentic original materials. However, recent years have seen a re-examination of these methods.
This May marks the 60th anniversary of the Venice Charter. To celebrate, the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Lisbon held an international conference titled "The Venice Charter [Re]Framed: New Heritage Challenges." The conference re-examined the regulations followed in monument restoration and preservation, considering their ability to address modern challenges such as sustainability, climate change, and digital technology. Similarly, the Department of Architecture and Design at the University of Genoa will host a workshop this September, titled "CONSERVATION / CREATION," to explore whether monument preservation and restoration can also be a form of creation, integrating and applying both old and new methodologies.
In this edition, I invited curators and scholars, who work on historic houses, to share their innovative approaches to curating house museums. These include artist residencies, rotating exhibitions, events to encourage public engagement, and even transforming historic houses into livable spaces. By discussing these approaches, I aim to showcase various avenues for curating house museums and historic houses, highlighting their potential for greater sustainability.
How does the study of house museums relate to your work in general?
The study of house museums has greatly enriched my understanding of the cultural and societal aspects of home environments. It has also enhanced my abilities as an architect and researcher, deepening my comprehension of the relationship between the design of a space and the behavior of its occupants and vice versa.
Final question, do you have a favorite home museum? If so, why?
I do not have a favourite house museum, but if I were to illustrate my interest in studying house museums, Anchers Hus would be an example. Anchers Hus comprises the original house acquired by Michael Ancher in 1884 and an extension added in 1911-13 designed by architect Ulrik Plesner. The contrast between the original house and the extension highlights the transition in building technology and the evolving spatial needs of its inhabitants over time. Anchers Hus strongly showcases these considerations, making it a compelling case for understanding the inhabitation history and its architectural and spatial quality for living.