Koo's Salt House was built in 1910 by Koo Hsien-jung, the father of Koo Chen-fu, former chairman of Straits Exchange Foundation. It used to be the Koo's riverside residence in Dadaocheng and received its name from the salt business that the family was running. Designed to situated face the Tamsui Wharf, the house allowed shipping boats to be moored right in front of it.
Two years after the Koos moved out of the house in 1961, the Rongxing Kindergarten was opened on the site. Unique even by today's standards, this late-Renaissance structure shows signs of Western influence on the luxury estates at the time, such as the arched hallway, the façade that featured the pale yellow tiles, and the gracefully arched windows. Inside the house, the frequent use of Chinese cypress in well preserved ceiling and stairs, along with a wall marked with the logo of Koo Hsien-jung's Dahe Trading Company. All these designs bear witness to the family's heyday as well as a highlight in the city's history.
The Koo's Dadaocheng Residence 大稻埕辜宅
