Xinfucheng Cultural Market Introduction
The Xinfeng Town Food Market was completed in 1935 and is one of the later public markets built during the Japanese colonial period. The structures within the market showcase various materials from that era. The main building of the market, which has a horseshoe shape, features a flat roof supported by reinforced concrete beams, and the walls are made of reinforced brick. Additionally, there are wooden Japanese-style dormitories and brick public restrooms as auxiliary buildings. The presence of restrooms symbolizes the modernization process of the market at the time, though regrettably, they have not been fully preserved over the years. In 1930, the Taipei Prefecture Government announced the "Food Market Regulations," which detailed specifications for the structure and spatial arrangement of market buildings for hygiene considerations. Against this backdrop, the "Xinfeng Food Market" was established. Other markets built during the same period, such as the Taiping Town Food Market (1938, now abandoned), the Xing Town Food Market (1938, now the "Xing'an Market"), and the Rufeng Town Food Market (1938, now the "Zhixing Market"), have either been renovated or abandoned, making Xinfeng Market a valuable example of public market architecture reflecting modern hygiene standards and architectural styles from the Japanese colonial period. At the time of construction, the market's land area was approximately 506 ping, with the building covering about 199 ping. The market is surrounded by a red brick wall about 160 centimeters high. The main building's walls are made of reinforced bricks, and the outer wall features refined horizontal decorative lines made with washed stones. Each entrance has a rain canopy above it, and the roof is cast in concrete, supported by reinforced concrete beams. The overall architectural style is simple with minimal decoration and a strong sense of functionality. For instance, its horseshoe-shaped layout is quite rare among public markets in Taiwan, creating a smooth shopping flow and a unique central skylight, while also meeting the needs for ventilation and lighting within the market. (Source: Xinfeng Town Cultural Market website)
