Heteroglossic Asia The Transformation of Urban Taiwan [Paperback]

Heteroglossic Asiapresents an analysis of geographic, historical, cultural, economic, spatial and political factors underlying Taiwans maritime urbanity by means of case studies based on Taipei and Kaohsiung; two cities which represent the multi-accentual character of Taiwans urban environment and its recent changes and development through architecture.

Focussing on the concept of a heteroglossic Asia Pacific, exemplified by the analysis of Taiwans urban transformation, the study argues that Taiwans urban environment shows a form of intended fuzziness which cannot be described as resting on either a simplified nationalist base or chaotic societal anxiety. Rather, this form lies between binary poles: autocracy and democracy, nation state and day-to-day life, top-down and bottom-up orientations, orthodoxy and hybridisation.

1. A Quasi-Colonial Context, 2. Hong Kong, 3. Singapore, 4. Taiwan, 5. When the Otherness becomes Selfness, 6. Theorising Urban Architecture for the Asia Pacific, 7. A Paradigm of the Contemporary Urban Asia Pacific, Conclusion

Francis Chia-Hui Lin, PhD is a Lecturer in the School of Architecture, Building & Design at Taylors University, Malaysia. His areas of expertise lie in the critical discourse on the practice and profession of architecture and urbanism within a wider context of history and theory. Franciss research and teaching interests include the Asia Pacific region, architectural and urban history, theory, art theory, architectural and urban design, (post)colonialism, the humanities and cultural history.