Taipei: Nangang Exhibition Center (TaiNEX)#

Opened: 2008 (Hall 1), 2019 (Hall 2). Exhibit space: ~460,000 sq ft. Walk Score: ~75 estimated.

Two exhibition halls at the eastern end of Taipei’s Blue Line metro. TaiNEX 1 is directly above the Nangang Exhibition Center metro station; TaiNEX 2 is across the street. Adjacent to Nangang Software Park — tech offices, not public participation space.

What Was Here Before#

Industrial and rail corridor in Nangang District. Nangang was historically a coal mining and manufacturing area that transitioned to tech/software in the 2000s. No documented residential displacement for the exhibition center.

Taipei: Songshan Cultural and Creative Park#

A former tobacco factory converted to arts, design, and cultural production space. Opened as a cultural park in 2011. Located in Xinyi District — 5km from TaiNEX, connected by metro (Blue Line, two stops from Songshan to Nangang Exhibition Center).

Overview#

Participation Space#

• Exhibition halls — bookable for shows, design exhibitions, community events
• Artist studios — residency and rental space for working artists
• Design workshops — open to public, rotating programs
• Taiwan Design Museum — inside the former factory buildings
• Performance venues — indoor and outdoor spaces for music, theater, talks
• Maker/design classes — regular programming, some free, some fee-based
• Public gardens — former factory grounds, open daily

The Adaptive Reuse Pattern#

Songshan follows the same pattern as Kaapelitehdas (Helsinki cable factory) and similar post-industrial conversions worldwide: a former manufacturing building with high ceilings, large floor plates, and industrial character repurposed for cultural production.