MAISON ACME | Yuanshan Villa Introduction
During the Japanese colonial period, Chen Chao-chun, a tea merchant from Dadaocheng in Taipei who operated Yong Yu Tea House, built a Tudor-style mansion by the Keelung River in the Yuanshan area of Taipei City in 1913, which was completed in 1914. This place served as a social gathering for Taiwanese gentry, dignitaries, and tea merchants from various countries, as well as a location for his family to relax, vacation, and host gatherings. Chen Chao-chun also served as the president of the Taipei Tea Merchants Association and was an important figure in the thriving tea industry in Taiwan at that time. When this house was completed, it was during the Japanese colonial period when the government was systematically expanding Taipei City to establish it as a center of politics, finance, and academic education. They laid down tree-lined boulevards around the city and introduced various European architectural styles, mixing and transforming them, resulting in a complex architectural landscape in Taiwan. This house was built amidst this trend. After Chen Chao-chun passed away in 1923, the house changed hands several times and underwent numerous transformations. After World War II, it served as the residence of former Legislative Yuan President Huang Kuo-shu. In 1979, it was expropriated by the Taipei City Government and temporarily used as the North District Branch of the Park Lantern Management Office for office use and storage of equipment. In December 1987, it was officially handed over to the Taipei Fine Arts Museum for management, and in 1990, the "Artist Fellowship Center" was established. In 1998, it was designated as a historic site, and research and restoration work began. Under the concept of adaptive reuse of historic sites, from April 19, 2003, to April 18, 2015, the mansion was adopted and sponsored by Ms. Chen Kuo-tzu, opening to the public as the "Taipei Story House" with the aim of introducing Taiwanese life and culture and promoting adaptive reuse of historic sites. Through various activities and exhibitions, it allowed the public to easily engage with the historic site, giving it new life. Since May 2015, the Kuo Mu-sheng Foundation has continued to operate the Taipei Story House, focusing on food, clothing, housing, transportation, and entertainment, planning themed exhibitions and cultural events while promoting tea culture, continuing to share stories at the "Taipei Story House." At the same time, it collaborates with the local community, citizens, and social resources to participate in the preservation of cultural heritage education, continuing the history of the century-old house. The Taipei Story House, designed in the Tudor style, is a rare architectural form in Taiwan. The first floor is built of brick as load-bearing walls, with the entrance featuring Ionic columns. The second floor is a wooden structure utilizing curved, vertical, and horizontal wooden slats to form a branch-like beautiful wall surface. The Gothic-style tower and chimney are made of brick, with the tower's roof featuring a curved eave covered in copper tiles, which develop a patina over time. The tower above the historic site's entrance is decorated with stained glass in green, yellow, and red; the interior features two elegantly designed fireplaces and a large number of Art Nouveau style relief tiles and chandeliers, which are rich in nature and floral patterns popular in the early 20th century. The overall layout of the indoor space, along with the outdoor balcony and terrace, is closely integrated with the surrounding scenery, presenting an elegant style. In 2021, the ACME team officially took over the management rights of the designated historic site, the Yuanshan Villa (formerly the Taipei Story House). Built in 1913, this rare Tudor-style building quietly stands by the Keelung River, having transcended over a century of elegance. Once a luxurious mansion of legendary tea merchants from Dadaocheng and a social hub for top artists and great literary figures, we are redefining it as a modern exhibition space that blends the new and the old.
