我國近年來經濟成長之迅速舉世囑目，因而台灘地區社會經濟結構亦快速蛻變，都市化現象嚴重，造成大量人口由農村湧向都市，使農村在都市化的壓力下逐漸凋零，農村無論在產業、社會、經濟、醫療、居住等問題之安排皆無法與都市抗衡，造成都市與農村間不平衡之發展趨勢。然都市與農村寶爲一儂兩面，共生共存不可偏廢，故今日尋合理解決都市問題時，積極態度亦應從解決農村問題著手。
政府對於農村問題，素有前瞻性之認識，自早期之土地改革政策，以至近期之農村社區基層建設與農村更新政策，均致力推動。本文試圖就都市計劃及規劃觀念探討改善農村居住環境之應有認識及可行之途徑。對現有環境之改善採用更新方式是事半功倍的，不過必須對各地區環境特性及需要有深切了解，其目標應確實可行並爲當地居民所認同。加以政府適度之輔導，協助及必要之財務補助則農村環境更新之目的指日可待。
For thousands of years, agriculture used to be the underlying bedrock of a nation. It played an important role in both economic and social development. In earlier days, villages were the fundamental units of a country. However, since the industrial revolution, the rapid urbanization of the industrial areas has brought forth serious problems both physically and socially. Public facilities, transportation, housing, health and the like are the predominant ones. In response, new towns and urban renewal have proved good approaches to their solution in some instances but not in all cases. It has been found out that population problem is the root of all troubles. Most part of the population growth in urban areas come from the immigration of rural population of the surrounding villages. The prosperity of urban areas is always accompanied by the declination of villages in the vicinity. No doubt, the balanced development of urban and rural areas is the key to the successful development of national economy and the establishment of social stability.
Neither the urban areas nor the rural areas can be isolated from one another. On the contrary, they are the two salient phases of an integrated entity. In short, they are interdependent. In view of these facts, the government is taking every possible measurement to promote the rural reconstruction. This study tries to contirbute a little in this connection.
It is attempted to apply the principles of city planning and the technique of urban design to the renovation of the rural areas and the improvement of their residential environments. This paper outlines the fundamental principles of rural renovation, the standards of public faclities, the acquisition of land for public facilites and domiciles, the raising of funds, and the recommended procedure for implementation. It is sincerely hoped that this preliminary study will arouse the public interest and will pave the way for further comprehensive studies in this special field.
