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No.12, Binhai 2nd Rd., Gushan District, Kaohsiung City 804, Taiwan MAP |
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Tel：886-7-9698799 |
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Business hours： |
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Mon.~Fri.
11：00~14：00、17：00~01：00
Sat、Sun & Holiday
11：00~01：00 |
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seats：196 Lounge：90 |
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Email：harbor-villa@amy.com.tw |
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| History of the building: the original compound was constructed in 1932 as two floors of two buildings positioned in the triangle between Bin Hai Rd and Gu Po Rd, and what is now the parking lot, was the family ice-making factory which serviced the fishing fleet, operating since around the turn of the century. The building itself has a front façade constructed in pseudo-Japanese style (present day, the front building is the restaurant), and the back building was built in Minan (Fukkien/Taiwanese) and Japanese style.When Taiwan was a colony of Japan, the building was a landmark, representing Mr. Tsai as a wealthy landowner and local businessman. The front verandah and exterior wall of the house was covered with small white pebbles in a mosaic pattern (which is also traditional Japanese artwork).At this time, the house was called “Malu Ni”, and it was not till after 1917, through the ice factory, fishing business and fishing boat engine sales that the family had become rich.After the retrocession of Taiwan when the Japanese surrendered at the end of the Second World War, the businesses amalgamated and became more important; the owner became a local and national legislator, and an important member of the Fishermen’s Association (of Taiwan).In the house, four generations lived together, with the first (front building) floor devoted to the business. Senior family members lived in the back building, while other family members lived on the second floor, with the servants’ and workers’ quarters in the back-a total of 35 people, so mealtimes saw 3 large tables set. |
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| The Structure: the interior walls were made of straw, cement and chalk plaster brick, while the exterior walls (though materials were scarce in the 1930’s and it was regarded as extravagant so the family was regarded as wealthy) were made of earthenware brick. Even the brick sizes varied, as at that time, everything was recycled.Inside the front house, there was an interior “well” with a balcony mezzanine on the second floor, (now restored) so that servants could look down and see guests arriving.An external staircase was built so that family members could have access to the living quarters without passage through the company. The roof and gable has been reconstructed with traditional imported Japanese tiles, while in the lounge on the 2nd floor, the beams and trusses are a combination of old and new, as several beams were damaged during restoration.Standing on the balcony mezzanine, one can feel rejuvenated as if one had recently been released from a confined space to be given a sense of freedom. |
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| Previously, the first floor patio was a kitchen (now moved), and the center space has been transformed into a spacious green area. The magnificent tree in the center of this greenery is called “blackboard tree” in Chinese, because when fully-grown, the thin board-like buttressed roots resemble a blackboard (this tree is actually from Heavenly Tail Mountain in north Taiwan).There is another tree positioned on top of the bomb shelter in the garden, and this, along with the luxurious fern and palm growth, the pond, fish and waterfall, creates a tropical Asian Garden theme.The bomb shelter itself conveys the notion that the family was wealthy, as only the rich could afford such, at the time. Nowadays, the bricked entrance and doorway are a feature of the garden, although the bomb shelter is now used as storage space. Before WWII, (when there was bombing from the Allies), the shelter had been constructed with high-quality brickwork technique.The 3rd floor rooftop patio and garden (and “cookout”) is a seasonal place to enjoy winter days and summer nights, with panoramic views of the harbor and Mt. Longevity. In May, lower Mt. Longevity appears on fire when the Poinsettia “flame” trees bloom with their magnificent orange-red blossoms. |
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| Harbor Villa today:As the house is comparatively recent (1932), it was named “Yang Lou” meaning Western House in 2004, but the cultural and traditional elements have been retained. The windows, built in British villa-style, are counter-balanced with weights in the sashes. The front awning over the verandah is very elegant with the pebbled mosaic inlay on the front wall, and the number “12” is prominently inlaid on a plaque with the street address “Bing Hai 2nd Rd” (as the property is triangular in shape, lying between Bing Hai Rd and Gu Buo Rd in the back, so the building has recently been named “Gu Buo Yang Lou”.The room layout has been retained on the 2nd floor – of the 3 rooms, one contains seating for 8 guests, one for 20 guests, and one for 25 guests.The 8-guest room is in Japanese style called “He Shr” (Japanese room), and the 20-seater is a meeting room with standard meeting and presentation facilities. The 35-guester is the best room to enjoy the harbor view scenery, and the hustle and bustle of the fishing and ferry port! |
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