Shuinandong Visitor Center_Mountain City Art Gallery

The Liandong Community in Shuinandong was a dormitory complex planned and built by the Japanese during the mining era. The houses were neatly arranged, featuring a complete water supply system, firefighting equipment, a post office, police station, hospital, and supply cooperative, among other comprehensive living amenities. Currently, the mining settlement in Liandong Community remains well-preserved. Back then, dormitories were allocated based on job rank; supervisory staff had dormitories with two units per building, while terraced buildings, with four or six units per row built adjacently, served as family dormitories for general workers. The community also featured facilities like restaurants, bathhouses, and ball courts. ▲Image source: New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Website The abandoned old restaurant, a single-story reinforced concrete building owned by Taipower, was originally a hospital, as evidenced by the 'Shuinandong Area Water Supply Pipeline Plan' preserved by Taiwan Gold Company. After subsequent renovations, it was leased by the Ruifang District Office for use as a community activity center, aiming to establish Liandong Village as a truly emerging tourist attraction. The New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau subsequently selected this location to establish a visitor service center, aiming to enhance tourism services in Liandong Village. The visitor service center is situated in what was originally the community restaurant, while the arts and cultural exhibition center occupies the former theater, which regularly screened films and was a primary source of entertainment for residents at the time. Therefore, the architectural concept of this visitor service center emulates the imagery of the Jinguashi Shisan Ceng (Thirteen Levels) Historic Site, involving structural reinforcement and exterior renovation of the old restaurant. After renovation, it became the nation's first visitor service center to integrate cultural and artistic performances, aiming to create added value and differentiation in tourism services. ▲Image source: New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Website (Data source: New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Website)