天災過後的重建，是漫長的路，對經濟相對弱勢的原住民社群，明顯的碰觸到資本主義商業文明的黑暗面，例如高度依賴性與壟斷性的建築工業體 系，讓身體強壯的原住民受災戶，失業酗酒、坐在路邊等營造公司替他蓋房子。價值觀念的錯亂和政策性對銀行貸款利息的補貼，導致建屋的過度消費而破產，這也 使部落殘蹟徹底瓦解。由於商業利益的介入，讓地方勢力重新組合，使原本弱勢者更邊緣化，例如人口僅剩三百餘人的台灣最小部族邵族，原來僵持幾十年的土地抗 爭，以重建之名一夕剷除。重建是百年大計，決定未來百年的人居環境，沒有綠色環保的觀念和作為，我們將看不到未來。

這些就是永續建築的三個主軸——社會文化、經濟、環境。

第三建築工作室（謝英俊建築師事務所）以具體的行動呼應這理念，透過簡化建築構法，建立開放式構造系統，採用協力互助的方式進行重建，並將綠色環保觀念植入，同時反應族群文化的多樣性，強化部落意識。並建立半自主的營建體系，合作社等區域微型經濟雛形。

至今已完成原住民部落約200單元家屋及部落教室重建，並組織失業者、身心障礙者、失學青少年等部落邊緣人，投入重建行列，動員志工超過1萬人次，其中邵族安置部落重建備受國際矚目。

The reconstruction after a  major earthquake is a long and arduous process. One of the darkest sides of the capitalist commercial civilization is  demonstrated by its shocking impact on the situation and livelihoods of economically-disadvantaged aboriginal communities who became the most vulnerable victims in the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake that hit Taiwan in 1999. The earthquake caused 2,500 persons dead and 90,000 houses damaged. The highly dependent, integrated and monopolized architectural and construction industry in Taiwan left these victims of the earthquake with no other options but to resort to the products and services offered by the industry. At the same time, what used to be a strong and vibrant community began to disintegrate as they lost their jobs. Many of them began to resort to alcohol abuse. They had little choice but to  wait for commercial architectural companies to reconstruct their houses. A large number of aboriginal victims went bankrupt resulting from the destruction of their livelihoods and from  excessive consumption induced by the low-interest loans provided by the government. The destruction of traditions followed. Because of the intervention of commercial interests, power structures within the communities were disrupted, which further marginalized the disadvantaged individuals. For example, the smallest aboriginal tribe, the Thao, is comprised of less than 300 people and had been suffering from  land disputes in the past decades. The whole issue of their land rights was eliminated in the name of earthquake reconstruction. Reconstruction is a long-term effort and has a great impact on our living environment for generations to come. There can be no common future for all, if we carry it out without due consideration to cultural, ecological and environmental concerns.

The major concerns of "sustainable architecture" are socio-cultural, economic, and environmental. Atelier-3 (with Hsieh Architect and Associates) acts upon these concerns. They established a number of simplified and compatible construction methods which allow the rebuilding of the houses in a participative and cooperative process. At the same time, they introduced the concept of green building design together with a participatory process, to reflect the diversity of tribal cultures, strength then the tribal consciousness, to help create micro and local economic systems including semi-independent construction systems as well as cooperatives.

Their achievements to include 200 rebuilt houses and several community classrooms. They organized unemployed and disabled and marginalized community members to participate in reconstruction. They activated more than 10,000 volunteers. Among all, the resettlement of the Thao Community received the most attention internationally.