I-SHOU UNIVERSITYDepartment of Civil Engineering

I-Shou University’s Department of Civil Engineering integrates humanities and artistic literacy into civil engineering by offering the "Sustainable Engineering Mural Workshop." The workshop invited artist Xu Yin-Hao to lead 11 civil engineering students in painting a mural on the campus wall. This fusion of emotion and reason cleverly incorporates famous landmarks and the ecological characteristics of Kaohsiung City into the artwork.

The civil engineering students participating in the "Sustainable Engineering Mural Workshop" had no prior experience in painting. They dedicated nearly two months to learn foundational skills through course guidance before they began creating the artwork. Under Xu Yin-Hao’s leadership, they creatively merged sustainable issues with local Kaohsiung landmarks and features, including the Popular Music Center, Port Building, Daguang Bridge, Light Rail, cotton trees, and the five-colored bird, which became the main subjects of the mural.

The colorful murals, with each composition showing great thoughtfulness, include a particularly satisfying creation for Xu Yin-Hao: a female civil engineer, symbolizing Kaohsiung as the capital of the ocean. Through this connection with Kaohsiung’s elements, the aim is to help the younger generation recognize the land beneath their feet through the artwork.

Civil engineering student Bai Huai-Li said it was his first time creating art on a wall. Struggling with pressure control, his hands would shake at first. However, after continuous practice, he gradually became more proficient and appreciated the opportunity the workshop provided to combine his professional skills with art. It was an unforgettable experience to leave a mark on the school’s walls.

Seeing the hard work of the students and faculty become part of the campus decor, I-Shou University President Chen Zhen-Yuan also expressed the deep meaning of the project. He stated that I-Shou University has been promoting the "Cross-disciplinary Innovation, Competing Globally" educational philosophy since 2018, aiming to cultivate diversified talent. The integration of civil engineering expertise into the artistic world by the students reflects the spark of cross-disciplinary learning. Chen humorously told the students involved in the creation that when they have families in the future, they are welcome to bring their children back to visit their artwork.

Department Chair of Civil Engineering, Weng Zhi-Huang, mentioned that civil engineering is not just about building structures but also about recognizing the coexistence with the land and natural ecology. This approach leads to the creation of human-centered works and achieves sustainability. In response to the zero-carbon economy initiative, I-Shou University’s civil engineering team, in collaboration with affiliated industries, has also worked on recycling slag waste from the steel-making process and applying it in the construction of sponge roads, which store water, cool the environment, and are breathable, achieving both circular economy and environmental benefits. One of the actual results is the road in front of the I-Shou Hospital.

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The mural artist first sketches the outline on the wall, then patiently guides students to follow the design and boldly sketch the lines. The mural artist collaborated with the students of the Department of Civil Engineering at I-Shou University to complete the colorful artwork on campus.

I-Shou University Civil Engineering student, Zou Yiru, said, "It's harder than I imagined because the texture feels completely different from paper. It's really fascinating to combine civil engineering with art."

I-Shou University Civil Engineering student, Xiao Quanyou, mentioned, "Since this is my first time trying, my hand was a bit shaky when I first started drawing."

I-Shou University Civil Engineering student, Bai Huaili, said, "I think it's really cool because we even painted the MRT and the ocean ecosystem."

The mural artist, Xu Yinhao, used a female character to represent the image of a civil engineer and incorporated local elements of Kaohsiung into the artwork. Xu is skilled at using illustrations to tell stories. He co-hosted a workshop with the Department of Civil Engineering at I-Shou University, guiding students to cleverly merge sustainable issues with local landmarks. The rationality of civil engineering collided with the sensibility of art, creating a unique spark.

Mural artist Xu Yinhao explained, "This is somewhat like ocean currents, with some green leaves representing green buildings. On the helmet, there are symbols of the city, but it’s a green, sustainable city."

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