Treasure Hill
Treasure Hill (寶藏巖) is a formally illegal settlement in Taipei City. The community was founded by Chinese Nationalist Party Kuomingtang veterans in the end of 1940's and served originally as an anti aircraft position. [1]
After co-operating with NGO GAPP (Global Artivists Participation Project) the Taipei City Government invited Finnish architect Marco Casagrande to work with Treasure Hill in order to find out ways how to legitimize the community and to reinforce the original urban farming values of the settlement. [2] Casagrande developed the community into an example of environmentally sustainable urban community. [3] With the policy of preservation and revitalization, the old settlement unfolded a new vision of an artivist compound which would respect the existing fabric of the community while fulfilling the regeneration concept of "symbiosis" to incorporate production and ecology in communal living and ushering in the program of an international youth hostel and creative ideas of art to further cultural exchanges with broader international communities. [4]
Police closed the area in 2007 due to guarantee safety for restoration work. [5]
References
- ^ [1] - Taipei Times: A hive of activity at Treasure Hill Dec 09/2005
- ^ [2] - Taiwan Journal: Page of Taipei history closes for overhaul Jan 31/2007
- ^ [3] - Atelier 3: Treasure Hill 10/2003
- ^ [4] - Treasurehill Artivists CO-OP Feb 27/2006
- ^ [5] - Taiwan Headlines: Police, protesters clash at Treasure Hill Jan 31/2007