Borrowing from Western urban regeneration models, this early 20th-century wine factory has been restored into Taipei's most retro-chic venue. Remodelled warehouses now hold live music performances, shops sell innovative Taiwan-designed products, and a host of stylish restaurants, cafes and bars will have you nodding to the ambience as much as the food.
The factory opened in 1916 as a private wine-making facility, and was finally shuttered in 1987. The area would likely be just another block of overpriced city apartments today if not for arts groups, which discovered, in 1997, that the old factory provided a perfect venue for performances, workshops and installations (the warehouses are spacious, have high ceilings and are flooded with natural light).
In 2003, after years of pressure, the city gave management of Huashan to the Council for Cultural Affairs. After a multiyear restoration Huashan emerged as a popular gathering spot for families and hipsters alike, a source of urban pride, and a venue for both the promotion and dissemination of new ideas about both art and urban living.
The factory grounds are open 24/7 but individual shops, restaurants and performance venues vary. There's an information centre near the front as you face the grounds off Bade Rd.
