Responses to Colonial Architecture: National Taiwan Museum & Japanese General Government Building

Taipei Twin Towers: Image from the Central News Agency

 

The demolition of the Japanese General Government Building was not the only attempt to revive Korean culture and identity after World War II. Renovations on the Gyeongbokgung Palace and its surrounding buildings and monuments also exemplify post-colonial transitional justice. 

As mentioned in the previous post, the Gwanghwamun Gate was relocated as a result of the construction of the Japanese General Government Building. For decades, it was located in the area north-east of the Palace. It also sustained damages during the Korean War.

Reconstruction of the Gate began in 1968 after the demolition of the Japanese-built Western-style front gate. The Gwanghwamun Gate was once again relocated to the front of the Palace. Then Korean president Park Chun-hee also relettered the plaque of the gate in Hangul (광화문). However, since the Gate was aligned to the Japanese General Government Building instead of the Gyeongbokgung Palace behind it, there is a 3.5 degree deviation from the original position. It was also 14.5 meters further in order to accommodate the road in front of the Building.

 

In 1995, the Japanese General Government Building was demolished as part of the movement to remove symbols of Japanese colonialism. One may think the result of this demolition should already be satisfactory to the Korean government. However, the Gate was no longer in its original position and hastily reconstructed with reinforced concrete. The plaque was also inscribed in Hangul instead of the original Hanja. Therefore, in 2006, the Korean government decided to demolish the restored Gwanghwamun Gate and rebuild a replica faithful to the original with traditional methods. The new Gate reopened on the 65th anniversary of Liberation Day in 2010. The Palace was finally completely restored after 84 years.

Shifting our focus back to Taipei and the National Taiwan Museum, last year, Clevo and Hongwell (Taiwanese) and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (American) won the bid for the Taipei Twin Towers, scheduled for completion in 2026 or 2027. The new buildings will be aligned to the centerline of the National Taiwan Museum, a nod to the original central line with the Museum on one end and the main station on the other. Standing at 360 and 280 meters tall respectively, they will certainly lead to a dramatic shift in the urban landscape. Initially, the project was met with numerous controversies. Some are concerned that the new buildings will inevitably dwarf heritage sites including the National Taiwan Museum, the North Gate, and the Railway Department Building. Still, with direct transits to Taoyuan International Airport, this historical area is poised to reestablish itself as a new hub of Taipei.