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Letter: Save Taipei's architecture

I've traveled in about 20 countries and in addition to the natural scenery and food, the other main attraction for me when I travel is local architecture. I don't think I'm alone in admiring Kyoto's gorgeous temples, Prague's baroque buildings, Santa Monica's modern homes (near Los Angeles), the Cotswolds of England, etc. Architecture draws tourists in and provides visual relief and a sense of history, place and identity for residents.

I was thus very dismayed to read in the current issue of Culture Express, published by the Taipei City Government this month, that all of the wooden Japanese buildings in Taipei are to be demolished. According to Chang Liang-chien (張朗乾), a cultural researcher, there are about 2,000 of these distinctive buildings in Taipei. Have you noticed them? Many are in a state of disrepair, with mature trees growing in and around them. I can understand demolishing some of them, but to knock all of them down is extremely shortsighted.

Ilan City, recognizing the value of its Japanese colonial architecture, has recently renovated a building in the center of town. It now has a second life as a beautiful tearoom. Why doesn't the Taipei City Government choose a cluster of Japanese buildings, for example the ones near Taipei Main Station, to save and renovate? I'm sure they would become an attraction for locals and visitors alike.

Lynn Conant,
Yonghe, Taipei County
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