What are "Ilan Houses"?

Because of the passage of time and the lack of detailed research or efforts to protect them, aboriginal buildings have disappeared from Ilan, and one can only try to imagine them from descriptions in historical records. （courtesy of the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica）

This granary in Toucheng is an example of a building from the Japanese occupation era. This brick-built structure is fronted with a gable wall, and has three adjacent archways under a broad overhang which gives shelter from the rain. The building has an insulating sloping roof to keep it cool, and a raised base to keep out damp. Sadly, these traditions are rarely upheld in Ilan's new buildings.

Many Han-Chinese-type dwellings still exist in Ilan. The houses behind fences of greenery belong to this group. They retain traditional architectural features such as overhanging eaves and low gates, and in the Ilan area often have walls built of the large pebbles which are found locally. Traditional windows in such patterns as crab-apple leaves or turtle shells were used frequently, but the bamboo-segment patterns common in other areas are rarer. The frames were generally painted light blue or dark brown. (courtesy of Wang Chen-hua)

Since Taiwan's economic take--off in the 1960s and 70s, most new houses in Ilan County have been square concrete boxes faced with ceramic tiles and with a balcony around the outside. But they still retain shutters to protect against typhoons.