Taiwan's Highway Bureau wins two prizes at landscape award ceremony

Taipei, Nov. 18 (CNA) Taiwan's Highway Bureau won two awards on Saturday at the 2023 Landscape Architect (LA) Awards held by the International Federation of Landscape Architects - Asia Pacific Region (IFLA APR) in Tokyo.

The first prize was an Award of Excellence for "Harmony with Alpine Landscape and Ecology Project of Provincial Highway 14A (Hehuan Mountain section) Landscape Improvement" in the nature conservation category and the second was an Honourable Mention for "The Seaside Corridor - Landscape Development of Northern Coast Highway No.2" in the parks and open space category, the Highway Bureau said in a statement released Saturday.

According to the DHG, the department had come up with several strategies for improving the landscape of the 24-32 kilometer section of Provincial Highway 14A - which is part of the Hehuan Mountain section of the road - following terrain analysis.

The strategies included adding more green and recreational space to the roadside, encouraging more sustainable development in the area and improving the traffic flow the DHG said, adding that all strategies were implemented while prioritizing environmental protection.

According to the Highway Bureau, a key aim was for the landscape to more closely resemble a forest - its original state.

Regarding the seaside corridor project, which aims to transform the 31-40-kilometer section of the Northern Coast Highway No. 2, the DHG has begun improvement works, such as removing electric poles and illegal structures along the road, as well as renovating old buildings in the area as it works to create a better landscape and coastline view, and encourage recreational activities in the area.

Works on the Northern Coast Highway have been underway since 2004, the Highway Bureau added.

The IFLA Asia-Pac LA Awards is an annual event held by IFLA APR that aims to raise awareness and recognition of landscape architecture and reward projects helping to guide cities and the environment toward a better future.