Dai Yuan Zi Introduction
On November 1, 2012, approved by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taipei City Government, it was registered as a historical building and named "National Taiwan University Public Dormitory." In the early morning of February 5, 2013, it was suddenly damaged by a fire. In 2015, under the ROT project acquired by Guo Shuzhen, Chairman of Lichi Construction, the restoration was completed after nearly three and a half years. Due to the local residents referring to this building complex as "Dayuanzi," it was subsequently opened to the public under that name. The architectural background of the public dormitory dates back to the Japanese colonial period. According to the old construction documents, the building was designed and contracted by the Government-General of Taiwan's Office of Accounting, with Gohan Yasukichi as the contractor. The "topping ceremony" was held on March 8, 1931, in the sixth year of the Showa era. There are two historical background accounts regarding the National Taiwan University Public Dormitory. One is based on the official records from the Ministry of Culture's Cultural Assets Information Network, stating that during its early establishment, it belonged to the Japanese Navy's "Suikōsha," which served as a "guesthouse" or "club" for naval officers. The second account suggests it was a bachelor staff officer's residence of Taihoku Imperial University during the Japanese occupation. Whether it was the "Suikōsha" or the bachelor officers' residence, there is currently no primary historical material to substantiate its original purpose and function, which deepens the mystery and historical depth of the National Taiwan University Public Dormitory. Reference: Dayuanzi (Japanese Navy Guesthouse) Official Website.
