Field Investigation of Retrofitting and Adaptive Reuse of Historic Wooden Buildings in Taiwan

In Taiwan, most of the existing historic wooden buildings built in the Japanese colonial period have become culturally important. These properties preserve the historical atmosphere and culture of local communities. Unfortunately, some of these buildings have been abandoned or have suffered serious damage during earthquakes; and, others have not been well maintained. The conservation and retrofitting of these historic wooden buildings have recently become valued and recognized by authorities. Some of these buildings have been retrofitted, becoming exhibition galleries, restaurants, or even local landmarks. However, changes in the functions of the building have resulted in some safety issues, such as additional fire loading or demolished shear walls. In this paper, adaptive reuses of these retrofitted buildings are discussed based on a field investigation. Factors that directly influence the structural safety are emphasized, and a potential issue affecting these factors - the lack of professional education and experience - is also discussed.