// TAIPEI // ZHONG ZHENG 中正 //
huashan 1914 creative park
華山1914文化創意產業園區
arts and events in a former rice wine factory
Huashan 1914 Creative Park is one of the first reclaimed industrial spaces that has been transformed into creative and cultural complexes around Taiwan. Located right off Zhongxiao East Road about X km east of Taipei Main Station, the collection of buildings used to be a rice wine factory, first constructed by the Japanese in 1914 to manufacture sake. After the factory was relocated, the land and buildings sat deserted for about 20 years, the city redeveloped it as an arts and culture district. Since opening in 2007, it has evolved to be a thriving and popular public space for cultural happenings and weekend wanderings.
The park occupies about the area of a city block, and features a collection of restored buildings that house shops, galleries, restaurants and event venues. There are curated spaces dedicated to uplifting local artisans and design goods that regularly change for some inspirational perusing. There are also outposts of popular lifestyle boutiques like One Day and Xiao Qi, as well as specialty artisan shops focusing on leather goods and printed goods. The restaurants and bars and cafes range from a teeny milk tea canteen to a sit down Italian restaurant to a cocktail bar tucked under the trees.
When it comes to the exhibitions and venues, there’s the Umay Theater, which hosts a lot of local film screenings, the Laugh and Peace Factory, which generally has Japanese art and culture exhibitions and events, and Legacy, a moderately sized concert venue. There are also often events and performances that are in the park area outside, adding to the bustle.
While there are many places around Taiwan and Taipei that have become mini hubs for cultural activity (including one down the street at Songshan), Huashan is a tried and true favorite among locals and well worth revisiting whenever you’re in town.
the details
| Address | No. 1, Section 1, Bade Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City |
| Website | http://www.huashan1914.com/ |
| Yelp | Link Here |
| @huashan1914_creative_park | |
| Hours | the park itself is open 24 hours, but most of the shops and galleries are open from around noon to 8 or 9 in the evening, and the restaurants generally have brunch and dinner hours |
| Price | free to explore, most of the shops and restaurants are in the $$-$$$ range and ticketed exhibitions |
| Aesthetic | reclaimed industrial grunge, heavy on the artsy-ness |
good to know
Go here for: checking out an exhibition or just hanging out
Don’t miss: The Gala Asia, this gallery-like space is like a museum gift shop, except it features shoppable displays of design collections from different Asian artisans and local brands for lifestyle goods.
Amount of time to spend: an hour or two is plenty to explore at a leisurely pace, but you could easily spend an entire afternoon if you sit down for a drink or check out the exhibitions
When to come: weekdays are more low key, but many events happen on the weekends. Generally weekend afternoons are the most crowded.
Getting here: the closest MRT station is Zhongxiao Xinsheng (blue, orange), use exit 1
Other things to note:
- Most exhibitions are ticketed, and some require advance reservations, so check the website ahead of time to make sure.
Last visited: October 2019
Last updated: November 2020
while you're here
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