NUU Architecture Students Win Top Prize at Miaoli Youth Hackathon with Innovative Plan to Revitalize Space Beneath Elevated Roads
The Department of Architecture at National United University (NUU) has earned another accolade. On October 18, the Miaoli County Government held the award ceremony for the third “Miao Qing Innovators Hackathon,” bringing together Deputy County Magistrate Lai Hsiang-ling, former Deputy County Magistrate Teng Kuei-chu, who chaired the judging panel, Director Wang Hao-chung of the Department of Labor and Youth Development, and other distinguished guests to celebrate the achievements of young innovators.
This year’s competition focused on three key themes: transportation equity, promoting local economic development and employment in Miaoli, and sustainable development. A total of 43 teams participated, proposing ideas across a range of fields, including smart cities, Hakka culture, tourism, and environmental sustainability. Following the preliminary round, 20 teams advanced to the final, where experts from academia and industry evaluated their proposals based on innovation, problem-solving capabilities, and practical feasibility. Twelve outstanding teams were ultimately selected, with total prize money reaching NT$130,000. NUU’s “She Zuo Bi Partners” team impressed the judges with its in-depth understanding of local spatial issues and practical design strategies, winning the competition’s top award.
Guided by Associate Professor Pin-Chu Chen, NUU architecture students Tsai Yi-Peng and Wu Chiung-Chia formed the “She Zuo Bi Partners” team and developed an innovative proposal titled A Good Neighbor Under the Bridge: Connecting Spaces Beneath Elevated Roads and Creating a Living Corridor in Miaoli City. The team stood out among the 43 competing teams to win first place in the competition’s top category, the “Practitioner” Award. Combining architectural expertise with local observation, the students reimagined how underused and fragmented spaces beneath elevated roads could be put to better use. Their proposal integrates pedestrian safety, community interaction, and local development, demonstrating how young people can apply their professional knowledge to public issues and create meaningful change in their communities.
Approaching the city from the perspective of temporary residents who have lived in Miaoli for more than five years, the team took a fresh look at urban features that had become part of everyday life. Although the elevated road running through Miaoli City serves as a major transportation route, the use of the spaces beneath it varies according to the time of day and the needs of different groups. As a result, activities are fragmented across different time periods, uses remain scattered, and the spaces lack overall integration. These overlooked urban corners, however, hold considerable potential to reconnect communities and everyday life.
In response, the team proposed A Good Neighbor Under the Bridge, drawing on the natural shade and rain protection provided by elevated roads. The plan combines pedestrian-friendly safety measures, opportunities for young entrepreneurs, and the revitalization of public spaces to rethink how these areas could be used. Through spatial integration and the creation of a connected living corridor, the team hopes to link previously disconnected activities and user groups, transforming spaces beneath elevated roads from areas serving only transportation infrastructure into welcoming public places that support everyday recreation, community interaction, and diverse activities.
Beyond physical improvements, the proposal also considers the needs of people of different ages and lifestyles. Through design, the team seeks to address everyday needs that are often overlooked during urban development, making public spaces important venues for social interaction and a stronger sense of local identity.
At the award ceremony, Deputy County Magistrate Lai Hsiang-ling praised the participating teams for their creativity and commitment. She noted that the hackathon brings together government, industry, and academia to provide young people with opportunities to participate in public affairs. By encouraging them to identify challenges related to everyday life and local governance, the competition enables the younger generation to develop innovative solutions and turn their care for their hometown into concrete action.
NUU will continue to draw on its strengths as a local higher education institution to deepen collaboration among industry, government, and academia and strengthen its ties with local communities. By encouraging students to engage with public issues beyond the campus through innovative design, interdisciplinary collaboration, and social engagement, the university aims to make youth-driven creativity a key force for sustainable local development and bring renewed vitality to Miaoli.
Photos and article provided by the Department of Architecture. Edited and published by the Secretariat. October 21, 2026.
This year’s competition focused on three key themes: transportation equity, promoting local economic development and employment in Miaoli, and sustainable development. A total of 43 teams participated, proposing ideas across a range of fields, including smart cities, Hakka culture, tourism, and environmental sustainability. Following the preliminary round, 20 teams advanced to the final, where experts from academia and industry evaluated their proposals based on innovation, problem-solving capabilities, and practical feasibility. Twelve outstanding teams were ultimately selected, with total prize money reaching NT$130,000. NUU’s “She Zuo Bi Partners” team impressed the judges with its in-depth understanding of local spatial issues and practical design strategies, winning the competition’s top award.
Guided by Associate Professor Pin-Chu Chen, NUU architecture students Tsai Yi-Peng and Wu Chiung-Chia formed the “She Zuo Bi Partners” team and developed an innovative proposal titled A Good Neighbor Under the Bridge: Connecting Spaces Beneath Elevated Roads and Creating a Living Corridor in Miaoli City. The team stood out among the 43 competing teams to win first place in the competition’s top category, the “Practitioner” Award. Combining architectural expertise with local observation, the students reimagined how underused and fragmented spaces beneath elevated roads could be put to better use. Their proposal integrates pedestrian safety, community interaction, and local development, demonstrating how young people can apply their professional knowledge to public issues and create meaningful change in their communities.
Approaching the city from the perspective of temporary residents who have lived in Miaoli for more than five years, the team took a fresh look at urban features that had become part of everyday life. Although the elevated road running through Miaoli City serves as a major transportation route, the use of the spaces beneath it varies according to the time of day and the needs of different groups. As a result, activities are fragmented across different time periods, uses remain scattered, and the spaces lack overall integration. These overlooked urban corners, however, hold considerable potential to reconnect communities and everyday life.
In response, the team proposed A Good Neighbor Under the Bridge, drawing on the natural shade and rain protection provided by elevated roads. The plan combines pedestrian-friendly safety measures, opportunities for young entrepreneurs, and the revitalization of public spaces to rethink how these areas could be used. Through spatial integration and the creation of a connected living corridor, the team hopes to link previously disconnected activities and user groups, transforming spaces beneath elevated roads from areas serving only transportation infrastructure into welcoming public places that support everyday recreation, community interaction, and diverse activities.
Beyond physical improvements, the proposal also considers the needs of people of different ages and lifestyles. Through design, the team seeks to address everyday needs that are often overlooked during urban development, making public spaces important venues for social interaction and a stronger sense of local identity.
At the award ceremony, Deputy County Magistrate Lai Hsiang-ling praised the participating teams for their creativity and commitment. She noted that the hackathon brings together government, industry, and academia to provide young people with opportunities to participate in public affairs. By encouraging them to identify challenges related to everyday life and local governance, the competition enables the younger generation to develop innovative solutions and turn their care for their hometown into concrete action.
NUU will continue to draw on its strengths as a local higher education institution to deepen collaboration among industry, government, and academia and strengthen its ties with local communities. By encouraging students to engage with public issues beyond the campus through innovative design, interdisciplinary collaboration, and social engagement, the university aims to make youth-driven creativity a key force for sustainable local development and bring renewed vitality to Miaoli.
Photos and article provided by the Department of Architecture. Edited and published by the Secretariat. October 21, 2026.
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