Architechture

Established in 1922, the Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Senior High School (previously the Kaohsiung State Kaohsiung Senior High School) is the oldest public senior high school in Kaohsiung. The school houses three two-story red brick buildings that are referred to as the “red buildings.” The building complex adopted the exterior of red bricks often used during early Japanese Rule and features an outer corridor on the south side for added shade. The use of reinforced concrete girders minimized the number of arch elements commonly used in openings. As a result, most openings are rectangular doors and windows, which are matched with pitched wooden roofs to exemplify the appearance of general public buildings in the 1920s. Many bullet marks can be found on the walls of the first and second red buildings, left by the National army that came to enforce military action at the school during the February 28 Incident. These traces of history serve as elements that demonstrate the historical value of the building complex.

三民／高雄中學紅樓

高雄中學前身高雄州立高雄中學校創立於1922年，是高雄市境內歷史最悠久的公立中學。校內共有三棟紅磚造二層樓建築，被稱為紅樓。前兩棟主要興建於1922年至1925年間；第三棟則於1935年起造，最初僅一層樓，至戰後1950年代才增建成兩層樓樣貌。
建築群外觀繼承日治初期以來經常採用的清水紅磚樣貌，並於南側設置外走廊以遮陰，但因導入鋼筋混凝土圈梁，過去常見用於開口部的栱圈元素僅出現在少數位置，長方形開門、開窗成為主流，搭配木屋架構成的斜屋頂，即是1920年代一般公共建築的典型樣貌。
第一、二棟紅樓牆面上可見到不少彈孔痕跡，那是二二八事件發生後前來鎮壓的軍隊向學校發射砲彈所遺留的痕跡，也成為敘說建築群歷史價值不可或缺的元素。

文／蔡侑樺
圖／高雄市政府文化局

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