As the city with the longest history in Taiwan, Tainan has numerous historical sites and is a popular tourist attraction for tourists and residents. But what do these historic buildings have to do with people's lives, apart from making them feel nostalgic when they travel? The recently reopened “Magistrate Residence Living Centre” seeks for new possibilities.

The Old Tainan Magistrate Residence is a two-story western brick building nicknamed “Clock Tower” by the locals, which has a history of 120 years. Commissioned by Tainan City Government, “Antio-Design” has redesigned and planned the site as the new “Magistrate Residence Living Centre”, which has been reopened on November 8, 2020.

The Magistrate Residence, built in 1900, is a typical British colonial building in the South Pacific area, with arcades on four sides and octagonal projecting from the center and two sides. It was originally planned as the “Magistrate Residence of Tainan County”, but later changed into the “Magistrate Residence of Tainan Prefecture" in 1920 due to administrative restructuring. More than 15 governors had lived here.

Another important function of the official residence was as the “Temporary Imperial Residence”, which was the official residence of the Japanese governor and the imperial family when they visited Tainan. By 1941, nearly 20 Japanese royal families had visited and lived here, more than those lived in Taipei Hotel, which served as the governor's residence, indicating its historical importance. In particular, in 1923, Crown Prince Hirohito of the Eastern Palace (later Emperor Hirohito) visited Taiwan and stayed here, which added the legendary color to this Magistrate Residence.

During the Second World War, the mansion was lucky not to be bombed or damaged. After the war, the Nationalist Government moved to Taiwan and various agencies and units were stationed successively. In the 1970s, it was used as the Eastern District Office and the Civil Defense Headquarters. Until 1988, it was designated as a municipal historical site. Since 2000, the Cultural Bureau of Tainan Municipal Government has embarked on a 10-year restoration project over this building. In 2010, it began to be outsourced for management and opened to the public.

Attitude of Life Aesthetics
The successive Antio-Design for management, led by director Nikon Lu, aims to “stir up new waves of life” in the historic sites and promote an aesthetic attitude to life. Over the past six years, Nikon Lu and his team continue to promote the city life aesthetics, from holding the design lecture, to participating in official activities such as the planning of Taiwan design exhibition and Tainan City BBS, and now with the aid of historical sites as platform, from point to line and plane, to connect and drive greater energy, and expect to make everyone seeing that the beauty is an attitude.

“Tainan's historic sites are beautiful, but the city is not. Our streets, building facades, garbage cans purchased by public offices, and the way we put up posters... Because we do not have the basic habits and attitudes to develop beauty, there is no need for beauty. Thus, it can be beautiful once there is need for beauty.” Nikon Lu believes that once more people come to the Magistrate Residence Living Centre and feel the aesthetic attitude conveying here, they will be able to accept such aesthetic inspiration. Taiwan will become more and more beautiful when the ordinary people are able to demand of themselves and are willing to keep up with external standards of beauty.

Not only to show the original appearance of historical site, but also to play the maximum use of space efficiency, the Magistrate Residence Living Centre can show the clever thinking of management everywhere. Once inside the hall, it will immediately come to the “Children's Study”, which is a dialogue space between the historic site and children, attracting the children to come in to feel the historic site and stay here, and enjoy reading with adults. Aside there are the design, art, and fashion books, so that the adults can also nourish their soul here.

Representative of Life Aesthetics
At the same time, the “Selection” on the first floor exhibits and sells the cultural, creative and design products and co-branded private brand products of Magistrate Residence Living Centre, providing dozens of daily necessities. “Lifestyle” includes the original Taiwanese brand BE IT, which establishes and continues the just good attitude towards life aesthetics. Nikon Lu has said about the design philosophy of the brand: "When it is just right, it is the most beautiful, and makes people exclaiming “that’s it”. We expect it to be the MUJI of Taiwan, or even surpass MUJI, and truly become the representative of the life aesthetics of Taiwan people.

In addition, it has also introduced a number of international household brands, bringing the home furnishings and life taste inspiration. Part of home furnishing brands integrate with the dining space, and the furniture and tableware used in the restaurants on the first floor are the brand goods, which give the opportunity to sit and eat on the chair worth of NT$ 50,000-60,000, and let the consumer experience the tactility and texture of high-quality household utensils, which is also an immersive life aesthetic education while eating. The restaurant is open from 10 AM to 10 PM, serving the brunch, afternoon tea and dinner.

In the exhibition space on the second floor, the classic works and latest creations of renowned Taiwanese artists Ho Kan and Lee Kuang-Yu have been exhibited in the form of a double solo exhibition since the opening. In the future, there will be exhibitions of design, art and thematic masterpieces. The exhibition space is also used as a lecture hall at night and on weekends. Nikon Lu believes that “the life aesthetics can be taught”, and offers a “special class on life aesthetics”, which includes the courses such as the female posture, etiquette, fashion and matching of clothes, to help the students developing the habits of life aesthetics.

The Deed Doer Management Consultancy also has set up a southern branch here, focusing on the fashion management, enterprise management and enterprise brands, and invited the industry leaders to Tainan for lectures. On the other hand, the "Master Lecture Hall" is themed on Tainan, and we can see Tainan's food, architecture and characters from the life section. The lecture starts every month, with a total of 12 lectures, each is very exciting.

The life and living scenes of the Japanese Crown Prince will be reproduced in the second-floor space to reconstruct the historical atmosphere and develop the corresponding retro goods, such as the pocket watches, as well as clothing, daily necessities and stationery combining both the Chinese and Japanese styles.

For the Fashion Boutique's two designer clothing brands, one is from the indigenous designer Sabra Andre, and the other designer is Jin Huang, who is a Hakka. Both of them are the new stars of Taiwan Fashion Week and Shanghai Fashion Week in recent years. They have been specially introduced to Tainan, which is dominated by South Fujian ethnic groups, to let the consumers feel the design energy from different ethnic groups. In this district, there are also two Jewelry brands Shin Yuan Jewelry and JRY Jewelry, respectively from Shelly and Ariel, two young designers in their twenties, which is also the first time for them to set up the store counter under their own brand.

To develop and promote the aesthetic attitude of life, a group of designers are needed to support. In order to enhance the design energy and cultivate the talents, Nikon Lu is preparing the youth design alliance, inviting the young talents under 30 years old who lack the showing stage, to create a stage for designers in various fields. There are already about 40 members, and the goal is to reach 150 to 200 members within a year. It is expected to be formally established in February and will hold a press conference at the Magistrate Residence.

Feast of Life Aesthetics
In addition to the visual experience of visiting the historical sites, Nikon Lu believes that it is necessary to cooperate with the external activities to attract people to visit and experience for many times, so as to gradually internalize the attitude of life aesthetics. At the beginning of the opening, the outdoor plaza of the Magistrate Residence Living Centre held the “Good Luck Market” holiday market every weekend, which successfully attracted many people. Many stall ownevendors reported that it was the most beautiful and comfortable market they had ever participated in, and they would like to come back again. In the future, the market will be held once a month.

Themed banquets, such as outdoor Christmas banquet, will be held regularly. With the guests sitting on the ground, A Cappella, violin and flute are performed on a small stage. Outdoor cinema will show classic films and combine with Chinese cross talk, Taiwanese opera, puppet show and other performing arts, providing an audio-visual feast.

“Cultural Tourism” is also being planned, which offers one-day excursions or two to three days of exquisite group tour package. Customers will follow the historic visiting route of the Japanese Crown Prince in Tainan. Characterized by its artistic and intellectual nature, it caters to those who are fond of in-depth tours.

Magistrate Residence Living Centre tries to construct a new attitude of life aesthetics in Taiwan. Taking the historic site as a platform, the visitors can experience and participate in the new life aesthetics practice inside and outside the hall, so as to make the historic site truly connect with the modern life, and create new history and new memory.

Text by: Yu, Jinshuan; Photo by: Magistrate Residence Living Centre