Do you know that there is a mysterious and enormous forge hidden in the bustling heart of Taipei City? The Taipei Railway Workshop, which once played a crucial role in Taiwan's railway system, has been accompanying Taiwan's railways for nearly a century since its completion in the 10th year of the Showa era (1935). It has repaired steam trains from the Japanese era, diesel locomotives from the 1960s, and various electric locomotives and electric multiple units since the electrification of the railways in 1979. However, with the evolution of time and factors such as railway restructuring, the Taipei Railway Workshop has long been retired, gradually fading from memory into an unnamed factory.
In the 2023 Creative Expo Taiwan, the Preparatory Office of National Railway Museum, under the concept of "Rebirth," reopened this dusty railway base. Looking at the factory with its steam hammer manufactured in 1889 in England and various giant machinery, the decision was made to revive this once "sound-filled" forge with the mindset of "sound leading the way."
In order to authentically reproduce the "mighty roar" of the Taipei Railway Workshop, the team sampled the original noises of heavy machinery from various historical materials, collected the forging sounds of steam hammers of various tonnages, and the ambient sounds of the factory environment. By combining interactive design and audiovisual installations, visitors can personally strike the interactive hammers in the venue to produce the forging sounds of the original machinery. Meanwhile, through replication devices and multimedia displays, coupled with scenes and narratives from the old era, the glory and vision of the forge are recounted.
Furthermore, collaborating with cross-disciplinary and music design teams, the original heavy machinery's singular operating roars and movements were translated and orchestrated into spectacular audiovisual performances. To create the best performance venue, the team also partnered with experienced sound engineers and audio designers from the Taiwanese music scene for venue sound layout planning, track analysis, and mixing, equipping the exhibition with concert-grade sound systems. This breaks the conventional exhibition experience of "see first, hear later," offering the audience an immersive journey starting from "listening."
The "On-Site Exhibition of Forging Shop" not only successfully revives the vigorous vitality of the Taipei Railway Workshop and recreates the unique industrial landscape of the past era but also connects the forge's past with its rebirth, making it a highlight not to be missed at the cultural expo, continuing the Taipei Railway Workshop's unique presence in the history of Taiwan's railways.
Audience Feedback
＃This is truly the most enjoyable exhibition I've ever "heard".
＃The previously old space now looks very new, and the sound and light installations, along with the performances, integrate seamlessly with the venue and are very impressive.
＃We can bring historical voices back to life, giving people a real sense of traveling through time.
Organizer｜Creative Expo Taiwan x Preparatory Office of National Railway Museum
Date｜2023/09/22 → 2023/10/01
Creative Team｜ IF Plus
Art Director｜Poyu Wang
Strategic Director｜Jet Zhou
Execution Coordination｜Anis Chen、Jessy Zhuang
Exhibition Design｜Sophia Lee
Exhibition Visual Design｜Sophia Lee
Exhibition Motion Design｜ChengHsuan Dai
Audio Visual Installation Visual Design｜Niel Lee
Audio Visual Installation Motion Graphic｜Argo Heish、大莫
Audio Design｜KaKong
Post-production and Sound Stage Design｜Xiao Suz
Sound Coordinator｜Jamal Weng
Sound Engineering｜Reyn Yang Professional Sound Co., Ltd
Lighting Engineering｜Meway Vision Engineering Co., Ltd
Hardware Technicians | Sensingln
Photography｜sunghanimage
Motion Photography｜Tuan
Printing Design｜Sensations Print
Co-sponsoring Organizations｜Macbro_studio