At a corner in Taipei’s high-end Xinyi District, a few low-rise houses sit closely together. These somewhat crowded buildings chronicled the tears and joy of veterans who migrated to Taiwan in the early days. This is the former site of Taipei City’s Military Dependents’ Village, called the “Sisinan Village”.
With the increasingly fast economic growth and the rising living standard, these old houses no longer serve the needs of the residents. The City Government initially planned to rebuild them in 1999. However, through persuasion from the cultural circles, the City Government designated this premise as the Cultural Hall and Cultural Park of Xinyi District, and started operation in 2003.
The Hall consists of four symmetrical buildings. The houses that sat tightly next to each other have been converted into an open space for events and exhibitions. The premise now consists of an exhibition hall, Military Dependents’ Village Exhibition Hall, performance hall and community hall. The exterior still retains the unique low-rise and the simple, rustic style of the Military Dependents’ Village. The narrow alleys and footpaths will take the visitors down memory lane. It is a fascinating contrast to the neighboring towering Taipei 101 and surrounding modern buildings, a compelling testimony of Taipei’s urban development.
Xinyi Assembly Hall, Taipei City 信義公民會館暨眷村文化公園_四四南村
