Parasitic Temples

Parasitic Temples (寄生之廟) is a book by Taiwanese architect Lai Po-Wei (賴伯威) exploring the quasi-legal folk religious structures colonizing underutilized urban spaces throughout Taiwan. Through his research project WillopodiA, Lai approaches these temples with a biological lens, building a taxonomy of their forms and functions using isometric diagrams to analyze how they adapt to and “parasitize” their surroundings. Unlike the country’s 36,000+ registered temples, these informal structures are typically nestled beneath expressway on-ramps, hidden within markets and commercial buildings, sprawling along riverbanks, lodged beneath bridges, or otherwise fused with urban infrastructure or geophysical features. In some cases superstitions prevent the removal of an old shrine and planners must find a way to incorporate a “stubborn” deity into building, road, or reservoir designs. 37 temples representing one of 108 types are featured in the printed book, which was published in 2017 and again in 2024.