History 

Sunrise Driftwood Workshop is located in Duoliang, the southernmost part of Taimali Township, Taitung. It was originally the Duoliang Branch of Daxi Elementary School, which had been abandoned for many years. In front of it lies the deep and vast Pacific coastline, and below it is Duoliang Train Station, known as "Taiwan's Most Beautiful Train Station." Although the station has been out of service for many years, it still attracts numerous railway enthusiasts. 

In January 2011, the Alliance Cultural Foundation and Sunrise Driftwood Workshop co-hosted a Driftwood Workshop, inviting mixed-media artists Xu Wei-Bin and Cao Shi-Mei. By combining driftwood with metals, they enhanced the furniture-making skills of local woodworkers through hands-on practice and experience sharing, yielding remarkable results. This also proved the inherent artistic sensibility and talent of indigenous people. In February 2012, the foundation invited the two artists to teach again at the workshop, with a focus on sustainable development, to create a blueprint for tourism development in Duoliang.

The goal of this project was not only to allow visitors to experience local craftsmanship at the wood workshop but also to connect with tribal tourism. This enabled visitors to explore the unique lifestyle and cultural characteristics of the tribe, thereby revitalizing the Duoliang tribe and creating new opportunities. The project aimed to create local employment opportunities, encouraging young tribespeople working elsewhere to return and serve their community. In the future, the workshop could also serve as a production base to promote practical production, product development and design, and integrate market platforms to promote local specialty industries. 

Goals 

  • Creating distinctive regional spaces with local cultural elements
  • Training talent through hands-on practice
  • Gaining practical experience within a market sales mechanism
  • Incorporating new materials and learning to use new equipment
  • Developing a variety of small-batch products to meet market trends
  • Enhancing the woodworking skills of workshop craftsman