Urbanmatic is a collection of environments and urban spaces that are off most radars; spaces that we hustle in and out of everyday here in Taipei and other places we’ve lived-in, visited, or longed to visit. Urbanmatic is a by-product of modern cities, scripting its new found contexts as it evolves. These are places and spaces that inspired us.Tumblr (3.0; @urbanmatic)http://urbanmatic.com/<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfpr9eb6351qby794.jpg"/></p> <p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfpr6nOLCg1qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>A building with &#8220;fringes&#8221; on its side.  The fringes are steel r-bars (reinforcement bars use in concrete construction) left exposed for potential future extensions.  Although this is actually really bad for future expansion due to rust, this practice is quite commonly seen in the more rural areas of Taiwan.  This facade butts up against an alley, with no possible future expansion into public roads, making these fringes all the more intriguing.</p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/2970316048http://urbanmatic.com/post/2970316048Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:40:00 -0500Taipeifringesr-bars<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfpqvoQa4k1qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>An incredible building facade in Hong Kong- a mosaic of windows, air con units and walls- like an abstract painting.</p> <p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfpqz6XfB11qby794.jpg"/></p> <p><em>photos by Wonduk Han</em></p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/2970122947http://urbanmatic.com/post/2970122947Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:29:00 -0500Hong Kongfacademosaic<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ldgenzejhS1qby794.jpg"/></p> <p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ldgep2cKg91qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>An illegal cage extension with a panoramic <em>Slinky</em> inspired form in Taipei.  Pretty much all illegal balcony extensions are rectangular boxes, this one is very very rare, arguably the only one of its kind.</p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/2321590757http://urbanmatic.com/post/2321590757Wed, 15 Dec 2010 00:20:00 -0500Taipeiillegalbalcony<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lc2iu3W8DW1qap9qio1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>I’ve always love these earth hugging retaining grid walls.  They can be seen in some mountainous parts of Taiwan as well.</p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/2320999926http://urbanmatic.com/post/2320999926Tue, 14 Dec 2010 23:21:00 -0500<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ldej1t9sma1qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>A mosaic housing block where every single unit is constructed of different materials and styles in Tamsui District, Taipei.  It stands in strong contrast to the &#8220;unified&#8221; look of the grey concrete house to the far right.  This highly variegated facade effect has been copied and duplicated by some western architects who are attracted to the Asian expression of density and chaotic harmony.</p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/2309251378http://urbanmatic.com/post/2309251378Tue, 14 Dec 2010 00:03:00 -0500housingTaipeiTamsui<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ldd3xbxkZW1qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>A not-exactly rational concrete frame structure in Taipei creates an unusual composition of load bearing shear wall and the concrete post and beam.</p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/2198062409http://urbanmatic.com/post/2198062409Mon, 13 Dec 2010 05:30:00 -0500Taipeiconcretestructure<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ldd3i6pUT61qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>&#8220;Extruded pie&#8221; shaped wedge of a building in Tianmu, Taipei.</p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/2198030996http://urbanmatic.com/post/2198030996Mon, 13 Dec 2010 05:24:00 -0500Taipeiwedgebuilding<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ldd3eoPAH41qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>Beautiful undulation effect from the band of windows and the individually canopied air conditioner units on a gigantic housing block in Taipei.</p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/2198020923http://urbanmatic.com/post/2198020923Mon, 13 Dec 2010 05:22:00 -0500Taipeiwindowsair con<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lbao8sUz0q1qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>Building with its usage cast in yellow concrete characters.  Ignoring the red, white and yellow posters over windows, the concrete texts read (from top floor): piano practice rooms, recording studios; electric guitar, drums classrooms; mix use diner and bar; something pavilion; and &#8220;ABLE&#8221;.</p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/1468591628http://urbanmatic.com/post/1468591628Wed, 03 Nov 2010 01:56:10 -0400<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_layeidNg1I1qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>Yellow is the new illegal&#8230; a most common sight of illegal roof extensions built from either red or green corrugated metal roofing (common to most, if not all, Taiwanese urban areas) gets a fresh insertion of yellow.  A new yellow rising perhaps? </p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/1415495883http://urbanmatic.com/post/1415495883Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:56:00 -0400<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_layd61pDEH1qby794.jpg"/></p> <p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_laydmas6L81qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>Blade Runner to the max, the Kyoto Central Station is a massive urban block topped with a glass roof.  Visible in the background are a set of escalators that go up a straight flight of 12 floors.  Half way up and next to the escalators, a flight of gargantuan stairs scale 6 floors in one continuous ascent.  Vertigo or not, these stairs are difficult to process psychologically, and no one there dare brave these stairs. This has got the be the biggest and most intimidating set of stairs ever.</p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/1415453515http://urbanmatic.com/post/1415453515Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:48:12 -0400<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l9tadgj1We1qby794.jpg"/></p> <p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l9ta8zwxEv1qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>The inanimate city: this particular urban pocket is for inanimate things: telecom buildings with windows for vents and very dead plants.  </p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/1248352486http://urbanmatic.com/post/1248352486Tue, 05 Oct 2010 05:59:29 -0400<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l9t91godh21qby794.jpg"/></p> <p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l9t93qBeKN1qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>Google mapped.  </p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/1248290886http://urbanmatic.com/post/1248290886Tue, 05 Oct 2010 05:37:00 -0400<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l8u1kfNPqR1qby794.jpg"/></p> <p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l8u10a9GT31qby794.jpg"/></p> <p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l8u1mlFKSG1qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>A sports center boldly attaches this strange tumorous outcrop onto its facade.  An intriguing advertising move (to showcase its program offerings) or a smart use of space?  The rock climbing sections truly tranaform its generic host into a much more unique architectural statement.</p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/1131196276http://urbanmatic.com/post/1131196276Thu, 16 Sep 2010 05:21:00 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6ritkSYlg1qbk57ko1_r2_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>An LED buddha pavilion where each orange dot of light is one LED-lit buddha.  These are actually pray lights (one is lit up when a pray is made with a donation offering) that are commonly seen flanking the Gods as temple friezes or as towering individual pillars.  Here, they are secularly applied away from the gods, creating a modern yet mysterious moment.</p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/915701870http://urbanmatic.com/post/915701870Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:24:00 -0400taipeitempleLED<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6m9lco3Zk1qbk57ko1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><span>This nearly 1.5km shot-gun style single lane exit between 2 speedways (heading opposite directions) is definitely the only pleasure one gets from the much un-loved elevated speedways through Taipei.  Exhilarating sense of speed and confinement! </span></p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/901944054http://urbanmatic.com/post/901944054Wed, 04 Aug 2010 03:17:00 -0400taipeihighwayexit<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l6m9tqUORM1qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>Despite the ubiquitous nature of signage and advertising in Taipei, this seamless execution of real space (top right corner), TV space (talking head with subtitles on the 6th floor), and advertising banners (curtain wall) is rare.  Below, a view of this building in context.</p> <p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l60674BvVd1qby794.jpg"/></p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/848937576http://urbanmatic.com/post/848937576Fri, 23 Jul 2010 04:57:00 -0400<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l605bhb7171qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>The Hairpin House snugly tucked and entirely integrated with a hairpin turn in this hilly residential area, with zero buffer between the front wall of the house and asphalt.  The headlights of on-coming vehicles would hit right under the eaves.  The hairpin corner of the house measures only 1.5m(5ft).</p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/848912677http://urbanmatic.com/post/848912677Fri, 23 Jul 2010 04:46:00 -0400taipeihousehairpinroad<p><span> </span></p> <p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l5os5pZ3BX1qby794.jpg"/></p> <p>Highway Block: this incredible urban block winds along the 250m (750ft) length of this elevated highway, ending in a tip 1m (3ft) wide.  You can’t even see the other end from this vantage point.  </p> <p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l5os79kMUM1qby794.jpg"/></p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/822433378http://urbanmatic.com/post/822433378Sat, 17 Jul 2010 01:21:00 -0400taipeihighwayurban mass<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l4nmnpNeek1qbk57ko1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>A patch of fake grass in disguise (shameful of its contents?) on a bed of real grass at an entry plaza.</p>http://urbanmatic.com/post/740536637http://urbanmatic.com/post/740536637Sat, 26 Jun 2010 23:50:12 -0400taipeigrasslandscape