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The graduate program of the Department of Urban Planning and Spatial Information at Feng Chia University held its capstone project exhibition on May 27 at the Activity Center of Xitun Elementary School. Titled“Revitalizing Xi Dadun: A Big Hands–Little Hands Initiative for Reimagining the Historic Granary District and Enhancing School Commuting Safety,” the exhibition showcased the achievements of university students working closely with local communities, elementary school students, and local cultural heritage resources to improve neighborhood quality of life through innovative planning and design.
Under the guidance of Professors Li-Wei Liu and Pei-Yin Ko, 24 graduate and pre-graduate students from the department moved their classroom into the community. The project focused on two key themes: improving school commuting routes around Xitun Elementary School and revitalizing the Xitun Old Street and historic granary complex. Through field investigations and in-depth interviews, the student teams identified the needs and concerns of community users and developed proposals aimed at enhancing student safety while preserving and revitalizing a site rich in local history and cultural memory.
The course also received support from Feng Chia University’s USR-HUB Micro Project Program, integrating University Social Responsibility (USR) principles into Xitun Elementary School’s interdisciplinary curriculum. As educational partners, FCU students actively participated in elementary school course design and teaching activities, including lesson preparation, instructional material development, classroom collaboration, field-based learning experiences, and the compilation of student feedback. The collaboration ultimately resulted in a walking-tour curriculum titled“A Stroll Through Xi Dadun Old Street.”
Students were divided into four teams and partnered with upper-elementary classes at Xitun Elementary School. Throughout the project, they engaged a wide range of stakeholders, including the school principal and director of student affairs, the village chief of Xi’an Village, managers of the Xitun Granary Complex, representatives of Qinglongfu Temple, parking lot administrators, and local business owners. The extensive collaboration demonstrated the students’ ability to build strong local partnerships and integrate diverse perspectives into the planning process.
The “Revitalizing Xi Dadun” project exhibition organized by the Department of Urban Planning and Spatial Information was held at Xitun Elementary School. Department Chair Yi-Hsiang Hsu expressed appreciation for the support received from local community partners.
Students from the Department of Urban Planning and Spatial Information actively participated in the design and delivery of educational activities at Xitun Elementary School.
FCU urban planning students and Xitun Elementary School students pose for a group photo during a community walking tour of the Feng Chia commercial district.
Following months of research, fieldwork, and design development, the course produced four Xi Dadun community walking-tour proposals and eight planning and design proposals focused on school commuting safety, old street revitalization, and adaptive reuse of the historic granary district.
Students transformed their ideas into professional presentation materials, including A0-scale posters, informational brochures, and animated 3D visualizations. These works were exhibited as part of Xitun Elementary School’s interdisciplinary thematic exhibition,“A Stroll Through Xi Dadun Old Street,” on May 27. The diverse presentation formats highlighted both the students’ technical expertise and their commitment to community-based planning.
The exhibition opened with remarks from Xitun Elementary School Principal Peng Wei-Feng and attracted more than one hundred participants. Attendees included the Xitun District Chief, the Director of the Household Registration Office, local village leaders, old street business owners, teachers, students, parents, and community representatives.
Speaking on behalf of the department, Yi-Hsiang Hsu, Chair of the Department of Urban Planning and Spatial Information, emphasized the significance of collaboration between universities and elementary schools. He noted that by applying professional planning expertise to local issues, Feng Chia University students helped Xitun Elementary School rediscover the historical and cultural value of the old street while proposing practical environmental improvement strategies. Such efforts not only contribute to campus safety but also promote community prosperity and shared development.
During the event, students personally guided visitors through their projects, engaging in lively discussions with community members and gathering valuable feedback. The exhibition marked a successful conclusion to the semester-long capstone project and demonstrated the positive impact of community-engaged planning education.
Participating students introduce their project outcomes and planning proposals to local residents attending the exhibition.
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