I visited in 2012 and then again in 2014 the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park which is positioned as the “Creative Hub of Taipei” and has four key strategies of “Creative Lab”, “Creative Co-Op”, “Creative School”, and “Creative Showcase” to become a creative showcase window. In 20 14 there was much exciting construction and Taipei will located  a University  arts and sports centers on the edges of the park and center.

The original site was an industrialized city. I took a tour with a Taiwanese translater and the architecture reveals the cultural history through its design. The Japaneses in the 30 went to Europe to study industrial complexes and ‘european’ modern styling is evidenced throughout. The location began in 1937 as the “Taiwan Sōtokufu Tobacco Monopoly Bureau” during the Japanese colonial time. It was taken over by the Taiwan Monopoly Bureau and renamed the “Taiwanese Provincial Tobacco and Alcohol Monopoly Bureau Songshan Plant” and active until 1998. In 2001, it was appointed by the Taipei City Government as the No. 99 cultural heritage site of the city and renamed the “Songshan Cultural and Creative Park”. On November 15th, 2011, it officially opened to the public.