CSW Boiler Room（ formerly the Old Fermentation Experimental Factory Boiler Room ）
The chimney is adorned with vines, contrasting against the white-painted modern concrete walls indoors. Inside rests a giant boiler constructed of red bricks, its iron-metallic structure adorned with the weathered marks of time, telling a story of rebirth.
During the Japanese colonial period, amidst economic development schemes, sugar production emerged as a significant focus of agricultural and industrial growth. Steam was crucial for sugar production, hence the prevalence of towering chimneys, with the boiler room being the heart of sugar mills. Utilizing the heat from burning sugarcane bagasse, the boiler room heated evaporators and powered turbines for electricity generation. The billowing hot air rising through the chimney became a symbol of the old sugar mills.
In 1931, during the Showa era, the chimney of the Agricultural Chemistry Department's fermentation experimental factory was completed, standing nearly 20 meters tall, prominently positioned within the campus. At that time, the department offered lectures on sugar chemistry and brewing, led by professors Eijiro Hamaguchi and Ichiro Baba. This boiler room was managed by Professor Ichiro Baba for the brewing lecture.
Professor Ichiro Baba successfully isolated "Baba's bacteria" from corn produced in Tainan in 1943, enabling the direct conversion of sugarcane bagasse (mainly composed of sucrose C12H22O11) through fermentation into acetone and butanol, serving as an alternative aviation fuel, alleviating Taiwan's energy crisis during World War II. Professor Eijiro Hamaguchi, specializing in sugar chemistry research, delivered his research findings to sugar companies, contributing to the continuous improvement of Taiwan's sugar technology.
After the end of World War II, the Nationalist government took over "Taipei Imperial University" and restructured it into "National Taiwan University." The boiler room continued to be used for experimental classes in the Department of Agricultural Chemistry but gradually fell into disuse due to the redistribution of departmental space. It wasn't until 2021 when the Office of Student Affairs decided to reconsider the use of space and imbue the "boiler" with a fresh meaning. Through detailed planning and discussions, the Office of Student Affairs revitalized the surrounding area, transforming it into a new campus space for the Center for Student Well-Being. Adjacent to the "boiler" is a bright and airy conference and relaxation area for counselors and students to engage in conversations.
Sugar production begins with "fermentation," embodying the notions of "brewing" and "maturation," while "sucrose" represents the conversion of solar energy into "sweet" chemical energy by plants. This parallels the process from conception, planning, decoration to acceptance of the CSW office space; we hope that the sweetness of sucrose becomes a shared fruit for all students on campus.
Further reading: Brief History of Taiwan University's Campus Architecture Changes Interactive Map