The Red House Ximending: A Quick Stop at Taipei's Oldest Public Market
Ximending has a way of pulling you in different directions at once. You are there for the street food, or the shopping, or just the energy of the place, and then something catches your eye from half a block away. That was the Red House for us. We were walking along the Ximending area, a few steps from the rainbow pedestrian crossing, when the red brick facade stopped us mid-stride.
Our Experience
We dropped by around 8 in the morning for a quick photo stop. The building was closed at that hour, so we did not get to go inside. Ten minutes, a few shots from different angles, and we were on our way.
Even from the outside, the structure is worth the pause. The octagonal shape, the deep red brick, the way it sits against the backdrop of a modern shopping district: it does not look like anything else in Ximending. That contrast is part of what makes it interesting.
From what we gathered, the interior houses a large restroom facility, a small cafe, and a collection of local businesses and workshops. Reviews describe it as fairly modest inside, the kind of place where the building itself is the attraction rather than what is happening within it. The surrounding area, on the other hand, is full of life and very much worth exploring on foot.
About the Place
The Red House was built in 1908 and holds the distinction of being Taiwan's first public market. Designed by Kondo Juro, a western-styled architect working with the prefectural civil engineering office at the time, the structure combines an octagonal entrance building with a cruciform main hall, a layout that had no direct equivalent anywhere else in the world when it was built. The octagonal form also drew on the "eight trigrams" or bagua design, which was considered a bold creative choice for its era.
The building complex today consists of three parts: the Octagon Building, the Cruciform Building, and the adjacent North and South Squares, together referred to collectively as the Red House.
In 2007, the Taipei Culture Foundation took over management and transformed the site into a cultural and creative industries hub. The upper floor of the Octagon Building was converted into a theater. The Cruciform Building now houses 16 workshops alongside a Cultural Arts Exhibition Platform. The surrounding squares host a market for artists and designers and an outdoor cafe area. In 2008, the Red House received the 7th Urban Landscape Award in the Historical Space Redevelopment category.
It is not the most immersive cultural stop you will make in Taipei. But as a heritage building that has stayed standing and stayed relevant since 1908, it earns its place on the Ximending map.
Tickets and Rates
Entry to the Red House grounds is free. Individual workshops or events inside may have their own admission depending on what is running during your visit.
Planning Your Visit
Getting there: The Red House is located at No. 10, Chengdu Road, Wanhua District, Taipei, a short walk from Ximen MRT Station. You will find it right in the heart of the Ximending pedestrian area, close to the rainbow crosswalk.
QUICK TIP:
The Red House works best as a stop within a longer Ximending walk rather than a standalone destination. Pair it with the surrounding street market, the pedestrian zone, and the food stalls in the area to make the most of your time there. Check the opening hours before you visit. We arrived at 8 in the morning and the building was still closed. Going mid-morning or later in the day gives you the best chance of getting inside and seeing the workshops and exhibits.
Contact Information
Address: No. 10, Chengdu Road, Ximen Village, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108
Official Website: redhouse.taipei
Tourism Reference: eng.taiwan.net.tw
