Taipei City Government

It was once the official residence of the American ambassador-a place with a resplendent past, but one long washed over and forgotten in the tides of history. Declaring it as Historical Relic of the Third Grade ten years ago, Taipei City's Cultural Affairs Department entrusted management to the Taiwan Film and Culture Association, which transformed the complex into the Taipei House, dedicated to film art and service as a renaissance space, combining the historical allure with film art in the formally renamed SPOT-Taipei Film House, a place of creative interchange.

SPOT-Taipei's simple, pure-white facade gives it an aura of refined distinctiveness. The interior is arranged around a central staircase, in the style of the antebellum US south. The Western-style second level uses round columns as structural supports. The entrance portal faces north, and the east side has a gallery that can provide cover, an architectural display of classical Greek influence. So steeped in history, SPOT-Taipei's blending of architectural styles from different periods is apt.

In this one-of-a-kind cultural space, you can sit quietly and enjoy high-quality foreign and local art films in a wonderful theatre of just 88 seats. These include entries in prestigious international competitions, award-winning works, and films selected for special qualities in a laborious review process. On a normal day six films are shown, noon through midnight. Now that's value for ticket money!

Beyond this, Eslite “City Lights Bookstore Branch”here has a “City Theme” section that seems to break the space-time continuum. Different areas have different ambiances, evoking London, Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, Taipei, and other cities, instantly transporting readers among 24 different cultures. In the “Movie Theme” section are works on movie production and famous festivals/competitions, and along the periphery is film and music merchandise. All's here that is needed to throw yourself into a boundless sea of movie-world enjoyment. After nourishing mind and spirit to the full, some fine food and drink to nourish the body would be perfect, wouldn't it？! The SPOT Caf'e Lumiere on the first floor serves light foods and coffees/teas, in a cozy space of voguish chic. SPOT Le Ballon Rouge on the second level, evoking lounge-bar overtones, has an open-air balcony from which one can enjoy the tree-shaded avenue beyond and the lovely courtyard below. The total is one more refined cultural landmark for the city.