Western Style Architecture

Historical Western Style Architecture

Japan was eager to establish a new European style empire and become the dominant power in Asia after the Meiji Restoration. When Taiwan become her first oversea colonial power. The administrative vacuum was filled by military and the society was in a period of chaos before adopting a policy of assimilation.

With an aim to give her first colony pride and efficiency after the chaotic environment came to a end, many material constructions started. In spite of being the foundation for Taiwan's modernization in the 20th century was executed with a goal to create an inseparable colony of Japan, many physical constructions had completed.

The styles of traditional Taiwanese settlements were simple before Japanese transformation Japanese colonialists had imported new organizations with different functions in modern cities and towns. Japanese professionals treated Taiwan as an experimental frontier at that time. After the Meiji Restoration took place in 1868, the historical style become popular.

Western style architectures provide people in Taiwan a brand-new visual experience in urban environment. The England brick buildings, the mansard style of European Continent origin and English Victorian architecture started to appear in Taiwan. The most common formal element in the Japanese Days was the central tower, the dome, the colonnade, the symmetrically arranged facade and the grand porch. The best examples are Tainan Public Hall (1911), Tainan Prefecture Hall, Tainan District Court house (1912).