Nesting Plan VIII Heron
2025
Nesting Plan VIII Heron
The Nesting Plan is an ongoing artistic series in which the artist learns from the master builders of nature — the animals who inhabit a site — and interprets their ingenious nesting methods through the lens of human construction techniques and materials. Each work in the series pays tribute to the remarkable instincts of these creatures, transforming their survival skills into architectural poetry.
For this chapter of the plan, the artist chose Tamsui, a historic riverside town where the estuary wetlands provide a vital habitat for countless species. His focus turned to the grey heron, a large wading bird admired for its elegant silhouette and precise fishing abilities. Grey herons are skilled nest builders: they collect branches from the riverbank and layer them carefully, interweaving each piece into a sturdy structure. Their nests endure the strong winds and shifting tides of the estuary, creating safe shelters for their young amid the constantly changing environment.
Inspired by this resilience, artist Cheng Tsung FENG reimagined the heron’s method of overlapping twigs in architectural form. He translated their technique into a circular, interlaced construction made of wooden planks, each layer turned in a different direction. The result is a structure that embodies both rhythm and complexity, echoing the natural geometry of the heron’s nest. On the inner side of each plank, he carved intersecting grooves and filled them with white paint, evoking the soft traces of feathers left behind by the birds.
From within the installation, visitors can sit on the circular bench that surrounds the interior and gaze upward toward the open sky. The experience is one of intimacy and security, as though cradled inside a protective shell. In the quiet of a courtyard in Tamsui, a bird’s nest from the estuary has taken shape—not only as a sanctuary for humans to rest, but also as a meditation on coexistence with nature. Here, people are invited to pause, to cool themselves in the shade, and to rediscover the beauty of building alongside other species.
2025 | J.J-W Hotel & Construction | J.J Forest | Tamsui | New Taipei
artist｜Cheng Tsung FENG
project designers｜Chan-Wei HSU, Chung-Sheng HSU
structural analysis｜Jian Quan Engineering Consultants
woodwork｜Weige Interior
metal work｜Yi Chang Laser
lighting design｜OuDe Light
lighting engineer｜Beamtec Lighting
photography｜FIXER Photographic Studio
2025
築巢計畫 VIII 蒼鷺
《築巢計畫》系列創作向棲息在基地中的動物建築師學習牠們的築巢方式，並以人類的構築材料與技藝詮釋，向牠們精采的天賦本能致敬。
這次的創作地點位於淡水，藝術家關注著在河口濕地棲息的蒼鷺，一種以優雅身形與敏捷捕魚技巧聞名的大型水鳥。蒼鷺築巢於水岸邊，四處銜取樹枝，相互交疊，形成堅固的結構。他們的巢能夠適應海口地帶劇烈的潮水與風勢變化，為雛鳥提供安穩的庇護。
范承宗將穩固交疊的特殊結構，轉以環狀交疊的建築型態表現，透過每層的相異方向展現規律與繁複的結構美感。交疊的木板內側，刻上交叉的凹槽並填入白漆，如同蒼鷺留下的羽絮。從內部環狀座椅望向天空，感受被穩固包覆的隱密與安全感。藝術家在淡水的住宅庭院，築了一座海口的鳥巢，邀請人們走進歇息，享受一段蔭涼的悠閒時光。
2025｜將捷建設 | 將捷之森 | 淡水｜新北
藝術家｜范承宗
專案設計｜許展維、徐崇盛
結構分析｜建全工程顧問
木作工程｜唯格室內
金屬工程｜艗錩雷射
照明設計｜偶得設計
照明工程｜丞逸照明
攝影｜定影影像