Nice looking structures don’t last long looking nice. The weather and sun over a few years destroys anything nice.
The popular style now East coast is just plain concrete exterior. No maintenance and withstands weather and sun.
Aka. Like the west coast.
East coast still has a surprising amount of old japanese built/style houses. Although not amazing, still quite nice compared to the lego blocks we get now.
You mean like most of the country.
The 'ole plain concrete look working it since 1956.
Seems to be an international phenomenon.
In Taiwan I’d like to see more paint covering it though. Raw concrete does not age well.
People in taipei generally dont take care of their houses much. They would rather spend their money on a big benz and the latest LV bag.
It’s all about the inside of the house.
The insides of their houses usually look like shit too.
There’s something to that, but in many cases there is a certain level of care evident
Windows, plumbing? 
tiles on the inside. tiles on the out. side.
when it doubt, cover everything in tiles.
its like they have applied the logic of wet bathrooms to the whole house. you can shower everywhere in the house. easier to clean. the same for the outside too, easier to clean. but nobody cleaned the outside of their house here like ever.
You know it’s bad when you visit the Philippines and their houses look like luxurious haciendas compared to here.
I’ve found Philippines homes generally to be more clean. Middle class and even when extremely poor, many still neat, clean and smelling good inside.
its not only about building materials. somewhere along the line the will to design homes that stay cool in summer was lost.
people don’t give a shit. or the company’s building the homes don’t. rectangle blocks with minimal windows and AC fits the bill.
in the past there were even apartments with courtyards. still some around in dihua street.
it extends to the city too. no thought for heat prevention. concrete absorbs heat so the citys just get hotter and hotter. taipei shouldn’t be so hot as its in the north but its incredibly hot in the summer. its a big problem in taiwan but a low priority.