The historic building "Xiaoyao Villa" has been reconstructed to reproduce feelings of nostalgia
In 1940, Ōtani Kōzui, a member of the Japanese imperial family, built and commissioned the Ōtani Farm he designed in Dagangpu (now Sinsing District, Kaohsiung City), an urban farm featuring the Xiaoyao Villa. The 80th anniversary ceremony of the farm will be held for three consecutive days starting from 1 November.
Xiaoyao Villa is a building with green roof tiles and green walls, and made of iron bone and concrete. There are a lot of different space designs and detailed decoration, showing the philosophy and lifestyle of the owner with its unique style.
After World War II, the villa was accepted by the Ministry of National Defense and served as the dormitory for the Superintendent and medical officers of the 802 Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital. The farm land was used for the military dependents' village "Xingren New Village." Later, the Ministry of National Defense launched the village reconstruction program. As the village was demolished, the Xiaoyao Villa, forgotten in a corner of the village, once again attracted public attention. After more than a decade of efforts, it was finally preserved and registered as a historic building in 2010. The Cultural Bureau of Kaohsiung Municipal Government has carried out investigation, research, design, land allocation, restoration and other preservation and activation work of cultural assets. The villa will be open to the public on November 1, 2020, the 80th anniversary of the villa's opening.
In 2020, as Kaohsiung celebrates its 100th anniversary of renaming, we look back to see how the city has changed over the past century. The villa marks a chapter in the city’s history. We expect it to continue its fascinating history and become a new highlight of Kaohsiung.
