The Ministry of Culture and the Taipei City Government yesterday agreed on a revised plan for the former Air Force Command Headquarters, which would see its northern end turned into a “national museum” to house seminal Taiwanese artwork.
The Taipei Urban Planning Commission said it “in principle” accepts the ministry’s proposal, which is expected to enter formal deliberations by the end of this year at the earliest.
The land currently houses the Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab, or C-LAB.
The city government and ministry had been locked in a debate over initial ministry plans, which split use between public use and private development, such as hotels.
Under the new plan, 2.5 hectares at the northern end near Jiangguo S Road would be used for public cultural use, while 4.65 hectares on the southern end near Renai Road would be for historical preservation.
In the northern portion, a national museum would be set up to house work by influential local artists such as Chen Cheng-po (陳澄波), Hung Tung (洪通) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖).
The goal would be to offer permanent displays of important Taiwanese artists in an institution comparable to international stalwarts such as the British Museum, the plan said.
On the southern end, the city-level historic buildings and other structures would be used as performance space, technology and arts development, and for administrative purposes, it said.
Commission members approved of the plan, but urged caution regarding traffic control.
The land is between two major thoroughfares to the south and west, and the road servicing the Zhengyi Public Housing Complex (正義國宅) to the north, the commission said.
If large events are held there, it might put too much traffic pressure on the surrounding roads, they said, asking for the plan to incorporate consideration about foot traffic, green space and public transportation connections.
After many rounds of negotiations, the ministry has come forward with a proposal more in line with the city’s plan, commission chairman and Taipei Deputy Mayor Pong Cheng-sheng (彭振聲) said.
Pong recommended that the entire area be designated for cultural use, as it allows for more flexibility.
Taipei Department of Land Administration Commissioner Chang Chih-hsiang (張治祥), who is also a commission member, said that Taipei already has multiple museums and performance spaces, so the ministry should specify what the new museum would hold and how the historical area would be utilized.
Additional reporting by CNA
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