I think the Beijing imperial architecture style that the KMT loves so much after their defeat in China is unsuitable for Taiwan, and unsuitable to commemorate a Cantonese anti-imperial revolutionist.
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Did the Taiwanese ever build something memorable in terms of architecture, I wonder?
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It looks better with the changes they made.
Ok let’s move the landing over to Sanchong. That should make everyone happy.
A giant bamboo thing in the center of Taipei.
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Well, the architects were waishengren, probably KMT supporters, and the main contractor was a Japanese firm, not sure how “Taiwanese” that building is. I was thinking pre 1895 anyway.
101?
Beitou Public Library.
The Chinatrust Building in Nangang.
The Lanyang Museum in Yilan.
In addition, as you no doubt know, there are heaps of handsome buildings from the Japanese colonial period—though that is a more complex mix of Japanese administration, Euro (especially British) influence, and crazy a&&ed experimentation, especially the Taisho era confections such as the Control Yuan Building at the Zhongxiao-Zhongshan intersection. 
Guy
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Is that Shinchiku (now Hsinchu) Train Station?
Guy
It was the Keelung train station until 1967 when it was torn down and replace with this KMT monstrosity
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Thank you!
Guy
You guys are missing my point.
Why is that architecture unsuitable for Taiwan, when the examples you show are clearly built/inspired by the Japanese/the Western world, or in case of the rich people’s mansions and temples clearly styles straight from southern China? That leaves the indigenous slate houses and bamboo huts. That’s suitable for Taiwan, then?
I understand the desire for Taiwan as an independent, internationally recognized country, but I always scratch my head when people seemingly try to argue that the Taiwanese and Chinese are completely different when there are clearly so many similarities.
Why not have an independent Taiwan country, where people can be proud of their Chinese roots? KMT architecture is part of the Taiwan story, I don’t see why that is any less suitable than Japanese-built railway stations and Chinese-immigrant built mansions and temples.
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It may be a question of which “China” and whose “roots.” The north / south China split is real—different languages, foods, culture—and there’s a reason why some people resent the impostion of a northern palace style upon our cities.
I agree with this point. People had to fight to preserve, for example, the prison on Green Island or the detention center in Xindian. It’s important that these sites are retained for historical accuracy.
Guy
What is suitable for Taiwan would be Aboriginal or Minnan style buildings, and perhaps even Japanese ones, since they are typhoon tested. Building a bunch of concrete mock Northern imperial palaces is a mashup of imperialism and colonialism.
There is absolutely no excuse for converting historic Minan styled Taipei city gates into Northern imperial palace styled fake historic buildings.
Many SYS memorials built in China are much better designed for the their location, as well as the ideals that SYS stood for.
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OK, now you are pointing to suitability in terms of climate?
Well, no, how is Western-inspired colonial architecture by the Japanese, which you might find in northern Japan any more suitable than Beijing-style palace architecture?
This phrase typically refers to the Tohoku area and Hokkaido. I am not aware of any link between those regions and what transpired in Taiwan. If anything, Hokkaido should be viewed as one of our colonial contemporaries, as it too was annexed by Japan in the 19th century.
Leaving that aside, I wonder @hannes if you have stepped foot in Hsinchu City Hall (in Hsinchu City), or in the National Museum of Taiwan Literature in Tainan City? One is immediately impressed by the cool down (compared to the often sweltering outdoors), the air flow, and the solidity of the buildings. They are well made structures and are both handsome looking and comfortable.
Are they external impositions on our build environment? Yes they are. But then again everything aside from the Indigenous architectural examples provided by @hansioux is “external.” Just some seem to be more thoughtful and better designed than others.
Guy
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I am sure the summer retreats built by CKS had a cooling effect too.
Also, CKS Memorial Hall and Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, very cool inside.
Large buildings are usually cool inside, especially when the air con is on.
I thought that was a Chinese food takeout box.
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A lot of them are repurposed Japanese era buildings, so yes. Although he put in a lot of American appliances in each of his vacation homes, which weren’t exactly energy efficient in the 50s, considering many Taiwanese people at the time didn’t have shoes.