If you have lived in Tainan, you would know that within its narrow alleyways, old houses are constantly being dismantled or renovated.Before they disappear, traces of the past remain.

The homeowner, Mr. Lin (Jim), began salvaging materials from these sites. He recovered Taiwanese cypress columns and beams, doors and window frames removed from retired houses, along with discarded hardware, lamps, and historic Dutch-style bricks. These elements became the foundation of the house, built to grow with time.

From the outset, the project was shaped by this material strategy. The living room roof structure and all openings were crafted from timber reclaimed from various locations. Rather than forcing these pieces into a standardized system, the architecture adapted. Openings, proportions, and construction details were adjusted to fit the dimensions and traces of each element, while meeting the needs of a family of five.

Within the 145-square-meter residence, a vertical void and a central courtyard organize the plan. The void serves as the shared center of family life, maintaining visual and acoustic continuity between floors. Red bricks lining the courtyard, gathered from local alleyways, follow proportions associated with Tainan’s early Dutch-era masonry, reflecting the layered history of the city.

Placed within this new structure, reclaimed windows, doors, and timbers soften the sharp edges of newness. Materials from different eras now coexist, changing with daily use and forming new memories over time.