The award ceremony for the 2025 FIABCI-Taiwan Real Estate Excellence Awards was held on July 29 in Taipei. The Taichung City Government’s Cultural Affairs Bureau achieved remarkable success by securing three major awards. Deputy Director Shi Chun-fu represented the bureau to accept the honors and expressed gratitude for the recognition of Taichung’s cultural construction efforts. The three awarded projects include: the restoration of the historic Datun County Magistrate’s Residence, which received the Golden Quality Award for Best Environmental Culture; the Waipu Library, honored with the Special Award for Best Management and Maintenance; and the Hsiu Liang-Yu Library in Dongshi District, honored with the Special Award for Best Planning and Design. Notably, the Waipu Library set a record by winning awards across three major categories, becoming the first library in Taichung to achieve this distinction.
The Cultural Affairs Bureau noted that since Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen took office, the city government has actively promoted the restoration and adaptive reuse of cultural assets, receiving repeated national recognition. In recent years, restoration projects such as the Taichung Prison Officers’ Quarters, Tanzih Elementary School’s Japanese-style buildings, and the Datun County Office have all been honored with the FIABCI-Taiwan Real Estate Excellence Awards. Meanwhile, by introducing private-sector operational models, historic sites including the Taichung Literature Museum, the Fourth Market, and the Broadcasting Bureau have been successfully revitalized. These efforts have transformed old buildings into beloved cultural and artistic spaces for residents, showcasing Taichung’s cultural vitality that harmonizes tradition with innovation.
The Cultural Affairs Bureau explained that the Datun County Magistrate’s Residence, which received the Golden Quality Award, was constructed in the second year of the Showa era during Japanese rule (1937). Originally serving as the official residence of the Datun County Magistrate, the building features Western-style weatherboard siding alongside traditional Japanese garden architecture. It was officially registered as a historic building in Taichung City in 2013. The recent restoration project involved an investment of approximately NT$25 million. In addition to structural reinforcement, the project included enhancements to the surrounding landscape, renovation of the fencing, and the addition of barrier-free facilities. The building has been successfully transformed into a versatile cultural and performance space, currently operated by GLAb Design Co., Ltd. Moving forward, this site will be integrated with twenty other historic locations—including the Taichung Prefectural Hall, Taiwan Prefecture Confucian Examination Hall, and Taichung City Hall—to generate greater cultural tourism benefits in the Central and West Districts.
The Cultural Affairs Bureau noted that the Waipu Library, often praised as the “Waipu Little White House,” has received widespread acclaim since its opening. It has now been honored with the Special Award for Best Management and Maintenance in recognition of its outstanding operational performance. This award adds to its previous accolades—the Golden Quality Award for Best Planning and Design and the Excellence Award for Best Construction Quality—making it the first library in Taichung to be recognized across three major categories of the FIABCI-Taiwan Real Estate Excellence Awards. Looking ahead, the Waipu Library is also a strong contender for the highest honor, the Comprehensive Achievement Award. The library’s architecture harmoniously integrates rural landscapes and natural scenery. Featuring an open reading space and expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, it allows abundant natural light to create a bright and comfortable reading environment, earning great affection from the local community.
The Hsiu Liang-Yu Library in Dongshi District, currently under construction, was awarded the Special Award for Best Planning and Design for its architectural design that incorporates the imagery of the mountain region. The library was generously funded with a donation of NT$120 million from the couple Hsiu Ching-tang and Lee Pi-hung, complemented by an additional NT$73 million investment from the city government for interior and landscaping facilities. Designed by architect Tai Yu-tze, the building draws inspiration from the imagery of the mountain region, blending the terrain with cultural landscapes. Its staggered staircases and integration of greenery allow nature to become an integral part of the reading experience, embodying a spatial philosophy of coexistence between people and the natural environment. The library is scheduled for completion and opening in October of this year.