MAISON ACME | Yuanshan Villa Introduction
During the Japanese rule, Chen Chao-jun, a tea merchant from Dadaocheng in Taipei and the operator of Yongyu Tea Company, began constructing a Tudor-style mansion in the Yuanshan area by the Keelung River in Taipei City in 1913, which was completed in 1914. This building served as a gathering place for Taiwanese gentry, political figures, and tea merchants from various countries, as well as a leisure and vacation spot for family members. Chen Chao-jun, who served as the president of the Taipei Tea Merchants Association, was one of the key figures in the burgeoning Taiwanese tea industry at the time. When the mansion was completed, it was during the Japanese colonial period, when the government sought to establish Taiwan as a center for politics, finance, and academic education, systematically expanding the streets of Taipei City and laying out tree-lined boulevards around the city; various European architectural styles were introduced, mixed, and varied, resulting in a complex architectural character in Taiwan during this period, and Chen Chao-jun's mansion was built amidst this trend. After Chen Chao-jun passed away in 1923, the house changed hands multiple times and underwent several transformations. Post World War II, it served as the residence of former Legislative Yuan President Huang Kuo-shu. In 1979, it was acquired by the Taipei City Government, temporarily serving as the Northern District Team of the Park Street Lighting Management Office for office and equipment use. In December 1987, it was officially handed over to the Taipei Fine Arts Museum for management, establishing the "Artists' Fellowship Center" in 1990, and it was designated as a historic site in 1998, with investigation and restoration work commencing subsequently. Under the concept of adaptive reuse, from April 19, 2003, to April 18, 2015, the historic site was adopted by Ms. Chen Kuo-tsai and funded to establish the "Taipei Story House," open to the public with the goal of introducing Taiwanese cultural life and promoting adaptive reuse of historic sites, allowing the community to easily connect with the heritage through various activities and exhibitions, breathing new life into the old building. Since May 2015, the Kuomuseng Cultural and Educational Foundation has continued to operate the Taipei Story House, focusing on themes of food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and entertainment, planning related thematic exhibitions and cultural activities, promoting tea culture, and continuing to tell stories at the Taipei Story House. At the same time, it collaborates with the local community, citizens, and social resources to participate in the maintenance of the historic site and promote cultural asset preservation education, continuing the history of this century-old mansion. The Taipei Story House, designed in the Tudor style of England, is a rare architectural form in Taiwan. The first floor features brick load-bearing walls with Ionic columns at the entrance. The second floor, constructed of wood, uses curves and horizontal and vertical wooden strips to create a beautifully branched wall surface. The Gothic-style tower and chimney are made of brick, with a curved roof covered in copper tiles that have developed a patina over time. Colorful stained glass in green, yellow, and red is embedded above the entrance tower, while the interior boasts two beautifully designed fireplaces and numerous Art Nouveau-style relief tiles and chandeliers featuring natural and floral patterns popular in the early 20th century. The overall interior space, along with outdoor balconies and terraces, is closely integrated with the surrounding landscape, presenting an elegant style. In 2021, the ACME team officially took over the management rights of the designated historic site, Yuanshan Villa (formerly Taipei Story House) in Taipei. Built in 1913, this rare Tudor-style building quietly stands by the Keelung River, transcending over a century of refinement. Once the grand mansion of a legendary tea merchant from Dadaocheng, and a social center for top artistic creators and literary giants of its day, we have redefined it as a modern residential exhibition space that merges the new with the old.
