Prize(s) Winners in Community Building Lighting
Lighting Design/Product Company WEDO Lighting
Lead Designers Chi-Yang Chiang
Other Designer's names Chia-Chuan Lin, Ya-Shan Yin
Architecture Company Hao Architects
Interior Design Company Atelier Let's
Client Economic Development Bureau Kaohsiung City Government
Photo Credits LIN KO-CHENG, Hao Architects, Atelier Let's
Completion Date Sep 21, 2022
Project Location Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Entry DescriptionEvery central market is a city’s stomach, revealing its food culture and way of life. The Yancheng First Public Retail Market is a post-WWII landmark that has served the local community for over seven decades. It is a multi-generational stage for daily conversation and routine. This project explored lighting as a language to evoke the collective memory of Taiwanese people.
A collapsed roof uncovered precious Japanese timber trusses, long sealed away by concrete. Working with visionary architects, we upcycled the damaged wood into sculptural luminaires and transformed beams into lighting carriers. Custom wall washers not only illuminate the facade but also conceal chaotic wiring. Path lighting gently guides visitors and ensures spatial clarity.
The market serves traditional food in the morning, then transforms into chic nightlife. The lighting design emerged through close dialogue with long-standing vendors and new-generation shop owners. We sought a balance between heritage and modernity, creating an environment that adapts from sunrise to night. Familiar elements like linear fluorescents are reimagined with a fresh interpretation. Daylight filters through timber trusses while artificial light enhances comfort, safety, and ambiance.
This is more than a lighting project, it is a social dialogue that connects people to place, past to present, and tradition to community.
Sustainability ApproachSustainability is embedded at every level of this project. Upcycled timber from dismantled roof beams was transformed into artistic luminaires, preserving historical materials and reducing environmental impact. The lighting design prioritizes energy-efficient LEDs with adaptive brightness, minimizing energy use from day to night. Custom wall-mounted troughs conceal chaotic wiring and reduce material waste. Enhanced daylight access and natural ventilation lower the building’s overall energy load. Socially, the lighting design emerged from dialogue with vendors to accommodate their various needs and improve working conditions. Economically, the revitalized market has attracted more visitors, which reinvigorates local commerce and supports long-term community resilience.
Company DescriptionWEDO Lighting is a professional architectural lighting design practice. We believe everyone is an artist in their life. We craft lighting dialogues that integrate local identity and bring harmony to people and their surroundings. Our lighting design aims to balance functionality, emotion, and sustainability. With strong roots in theatre arts, our team weaves culture, nature, and human experience to form unique lighting environments. Through storytelling and circular design, we create lighting that flows seamlessly from day to night and blends local culture with a contemporary spirit.
