木研究試圖重構臺南地區平埔族群其歷史時空公廳建築之形式及其轉化。公廳依史料記述，十七世紀時綜合多種功能，包括信仰、政治與社群組織運作，然而始自日怕的長期研究與現況調查，均顯示近期至今之公廳除偶有與社群活動相關外，僅存信仰與祭把功能;雖有學者探詢史料，唯多忽視十九世紀旅臺外國人員之記述，亦未研究變遷現象;雖然現況研究成果頗豐'唯多侷限於現存之信仰、祭(義的研究及建築材料與類型差異的探討。因此，關於不同歷史時空之建築與空間之形式及功能變遷多所忽略。

木研究重新詮釋史料、借用前人成果、進行建築形式與訪談之田調等綜合分析後，1日在立十七世紀中後期由於外來政權的操控，瓦解原先緊密結合的 政治、信仰與社會組織，公扁平功能開始被取代或分離丘克獨立空間場所，如社學、社寮、信仰場所(教堂/廟宇)，而公辟同時成為一卡H、通事辦公居住場所，乃立在涵化成今日狹隘之信仰與祭把功能，更因營建技術受漢人系統影響，普遍使用漢人區厝、空間格局，原空間中與建築結構不可分之神聖象徵物「中脊柱」閃此位移或消失，平權祭臺被迫採納漢人分主從位階等轉化現象，使神體與超自然媒介等象徵物在空間中座落的位序錯亂，公辟為村社縮影之象徵意義隨之消失，以致形成今日所見之多樣公廳形貌。

This article attempts to reconstruct the traditional form of
“konkai,” the public house of Ping-pu tribes in Tainan, and to trace its transformation
in history. According to historical records, the konkai in the 17th
century was a multi-functional space that served religious, political, and
communal purposes. However, long-term research of konkai since the
Japanese colonial years indicates that its functions have now reduced to a
religious one; only occasionally does it hold communal activities. Scholars
have also generally neglected the reports from sojourning foreigners in the
19th century. Neither did they inquire into the konkai’s changes of function
and its formal transformation in various stages. As a result, current scholarship
regarding konkai is limited to the religious and ritual aspect, as well as
the differences between building materials and forms.
Based on extant scholarship and a re-interpretation of available sources,
field trips to the existing konkais, and interviews conducted in the villages,
the author argues that changes of the functions of konkai resulted from the
foreign regime’s manipulation, which undermined the close-knit political,
religious, and social organization. Functions of konkai were substituted by or
disintegrated into village schools, communitive office, and religious spaces
(such as churches and temples). The konkai also became office/residence of
the tribal chieftains or interpreters. Eventually they were changed into religious/
ritualistic space. Furthermore, with influences from Han people’s
building techniques, the konkai adopted Han-style rooftop and layout. The
original sacred symbol – the central column – was either replaced or disappeared.
The equal status of the sacrificial platforms was changed to adjust to
the Han-style hierarchical arrangement, thus confusing all the spatial order of divine symbol and intermediary supernatural elements. The symbolic meaning
of konkai as the epitome of village community faded out, thus came into
existence various formation of the current konkai.