In response to Typhoon Nepartak in 2016, the damaged, disorderly streets of Taitung became an opportunity and incubated the birth of the Taitung Design Center. Driven by the county government and as an organization centering around design, the project goes beyond policy direction and traditional forms of spatial design, serving as a catalyst that can gather diverse voices and inspire imagination.
Since March 2021, the team of Taitung Design Center, led by Pili Wu, has participated in various meetings with the department heads of the Taitung County Government, discussing issues related to the public policies of Taitung. Among the discussions, the Taitung Design Center has proposed the “PPPP” model for this city of mountains and sea; the model commences by identifying a “Problem,” followed by initiating a “Podcast” that collates local voices, insights, and imaginations pertinent to Taitung. Subsequently, it establishes a “Plan,” tackling issues through the lens of design and amalgamating design talents with professional resources. Ultimately, it culminates in the “Project” phase, outlining future prospects. Taitung Design Center acts as the communicator and facilitator, bringing in professional expertise and helping talents establish themselves in the area. The project hopes to generate effective solutions by communicating through “design.” In the past three years, through endeavors both visible and invisible, such as the public servant aesthetics training project and public sector branding, the Taitung Design Center has strived to build an alternative design-centric infrastructure to construct a model project that unlocks further possibilities for city governance.