Architectural Story
The National Center of Photography and Images is located at the intersection of Zhongxiao W. Road and Huaining Street in the Zhongzheng District of Taipei City. The building was originally completed in 1937 as the site of the Osaka Shosen Kaisha (Osaka Mercantile Co., Ltd.) Taipei Branch. The Taiwan Navigation Co., Ltd. and the Taiwan Highway Bureau, Taiwan Provincial Government (now Directorate General of Highways, MOTC) both occupied this address after World War II. Designated as a monument in 2014 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government, the site was earmarked by the Ministry of Culture for restoration and reuse as the National Center of Photography and Images.
To date, the building has silently stood on this bustling street corner for over 80 years. This “architectural story” will look back on the historical and architectural traces of each of the institutions that have occupied this building.