本研究探討台西海園觀光區的發展歷程與背景,歸納出空間閒置的原因,從而探索空間活化利用,以及台西鄉整體活化契機。本研究首先定義閒置空間及檢閱再利用方案,其次討論社區主義與社區營造內涵,接著則詳述台西海園觀光區發展歷程、初始規劃,並且盤點台西鄉觀光資源以利後續活化分析。本文採用深度訪談法,針對與台西海園觀光區建設過程相關之產官學界共10位賢達進行訪談,同時檢索文獻資料將口述資料進行歸納,研究結果發現我國公共建設閒置空間成因可分為四個面向:政治因素分析、公共建設管理、公共建設規劃缺失與改進、政策執行與成本效益分析。本文也探討閒置空間活化的契機,依序由整體的城鄉發展產業分析、海園可能發展規劃,到海園整體再造、回饋金機制、舊虎尾溪生態廊道與台西中山路老街再造,整理出台西觀光策略;同時提出未來台西觀光發展的多元活化選項,透過社區主義型態的公共空間營造,共同打造台西海洋生活廊道。加上由國際設計師林國基先生提出之台西芭比娃娃博物館企劃,大幅提升台西海園觀光區活化契機。本文建議多元的觀光場館應以非營利基金會的管理型態營運,以高品質的人力、活動內容、營運設計,結合不同場館的行銷策略,吸引更多旅外子弟、年輕世代的創意活水投入;大幅開放空間,讓已閒置多年的空間活化,並且促使台西鄉在地產業升級與觀光發展。
This study analyzes the development history and background of Taihsi Ocean Park and summarizes the reasons of this unoccupied space to explore the opportunity of space’s utilization and the overall vitalization of Taihsi Township. This study firstly defines the unoccupied space and the review the literature of re-use programs. Subsequently, it discusses the connotation of communitarianism and community planning and reorganization and elaborates the development and initial planning of Taihsi Ocean Park. In this study, we employ the in-depth interview method to interview ten distinguished community leaders, who are related to the construction process of Taihsi Ocean Park. The result shows that the cause of unoccupied public space can be divided into four aspects: political factors, public construction management, public construction planning deficiency and improvement, policy implementation and cost-benefit analysis. This study also explores the vitalization opportunity of unoccupied space by promoting the diversified activation options for the future development of tourism in Taihsi Township, especially through the proposal of Taihsi Barbie Doll Museum initiated by international designer Mr. Lin Guoji to increase the potential of success of the vitalization. This article suggests that the diversified sightseeing venues should operate in the form of nonprofit fund management with high quality manpower, rich event content, operational design, and combined marketing strategies to free space to promote Taihsi Township’s local industrial upgrading and tourism development.