Department Introduction
The Land Bank Exhibition Hall served as the Taipei branch office of Nippon Kangyo Bank. The Taipei branch of Nippon Kangyo Bank opened on January 12, 1923. The bank was founded to finance the opening up of land for cultivation, construction, irrigation, and agriculture. It was the only bank in Taiwan to finance real estate and land cultivation deals. It was located at the corner of Guanqian Road and Kaifeng Street.
As its financial dealings grew year by year, it began to expand into other areas and invested a great deal in constructing a new location. The new place was completed in 1933. After World War II, the National Government of the Republic of China took over the five Kangyo Bank branches in Taiwan. The bank was officially renamed as Taiwan Land Bank on September 1, 1946, and the Taipei branch was appointed as head office. It has played an crucial role in land reform.
The building was designated by the Ministry of the Interior as a Level III Historic Site in 1991. In 1997, it became a Taipei Municipal Historical Site. In 2005, the plan for the Taiwan Museum System was carried out for execution. Subsequently, cooperation between the Taiwan Land Bank and the National Taiwan Museum put the maintenance and operations of the building under the administration of the National Taiwan Museum, which is a natural history museum and Land Bank Exhibition Hall was regarded a museum of finance history.
The renovation, designed and supervised by Yang Ren Jiang Architects & Associate and operated by Fortune Construction company, started in 2008 and completed in 2009. The special method used in the renovation historical site includes:
1. Steel Reinforced Concrete. The spacious hall without the support of pillars is possible with steel truss. Steel Reinforced Concrete structure system supports the steel roof truss, creating an indoor space of three-floor with a high ceiling.
2. Prefabrication of hanging washed pebble tile for the exterior wall. After the perfusion of the reinforced concrete wall, the prefabricated washed pebble tiles is attached to the wall with iron wire. The joins are filled with washed pebbles. This method is economically wise, fast and even quality.
3. Cast iron sash window. In the window frame, there are pulley, steel wire, and counter-weight. The glazed panel is balanced by being connected to a counter-weight. In this case, the glazed panel is opened vertically. The glass is made with hexagonal wire mesh, making it fireproof and hard to break it.
4. The molding of decorative plasterwork and clay board. The dry construction method was applied to the plasterwork of the eaves board of the main hall and the ones at the top of the pillars indoor. After being molded, they were hanged by bronze wire and attached to the body of construction with adhesive layer, and steel wire. A Japanese craftsman of plasterwork was invited to come to Taiwan to teach the technique of restoration. The materials were reviewed. Synthetic gypsum and hemp fiber were chosen and soft mold made of silica gel was prepared for mass production in the future.
5. Air cooling systemThe air cooling system was made by Ebara Corporation. The air conditioning facilities were located at the northwest section of level 1 and 2. The one at level 1 is for the main hall while the one at level 2 is for other parts of the building. The vent was hidden in the walls and some were place on the ground to avoid putting the air duct across the hall. The air duct was covered in soundproof materials. According to the Journal of the Taiwan Architectural Institute issued in 1933, methyl chloride was used in the air cooling system.