As cities develop, the preservation of historical sites and buildings takes different forms as the political, economic, cultural, and social landscape changes. Some believe that old buildings have borne witness to history and are a reflection of local culture; in short, they are part of a city’s memory. Others believe that having too many old buildings pose a safety hazard and also affects the appearance of the city; additionally, leaving these buildings standing will result in insufficient land for other uses and will even hinder the city’s development. Yet another group feels that urban development needs to go hand in hand with the preservation of culture and history because the appropriate preservation of old buildings will help maintain social stability, strengthen local identity, and foster a sense of belonging.
However, the current appearance of a city is the sum of construction choices made over a long period of time. The result stems from each individual placing a value, as well as the collective’s choice. In cities with limited land and rapid population growth, the trade-off between historical buildings and urban development has become a crucial and urgent topic that needs to be discussed.
Located close to the North Gate national monument, the Mitsui Warehouse stands close to Zhongxiao West Road. In 2016, in line with the city government’s “Taipei West Gateway”, which involved the construction of the North Gate Square and a rerouting of Zhongxiao West Road, the structure was moved 51 metres to the east where it was reconstructed for preservation.
The exhibition will focus on the background of the migration and preservation of the “Taipei Info Hub”. It will bring together similar cases that have also involved “relocation”, and introduce the discussion, reasons, and methods for each relocation case, touching on their properties as cultural assets, the relocation processes, and their current status. Meanwhile, it will look back on the city’s development and explore the understanding of progress at that time, contemplating whether or not we would come out with different solutions than our predecessors.