Taipei City Government

In supporting the reconstruction of the Nanmen Market in Taipei City, the New Construction Office of the Public Works Department (NCO) completed the construction of the Nanmen Temporary Market on August 31 this year to facilitate the successful relocation of Nanmen Market. The temporary market was officially inaugurated on November 13, and the Nanmen Building and Market Reconstruction Turnkey Project also commenced on December 1, 2019.

During the Japanese Colonial Period, Nanmen Market was an open-air market near Chitose District outside the city’s south gate; having undergone several reconstructions, it is the most longstanding public traditional market in Taipei selling northern pastries, dry goods, fresh produce, and specialty delis. In light of its antiquated, non-earthquake resistant structure and outdated electrical systems that no longer cater to the needs of a modern market, Taipei City Government set out to implement the Nanmen Market reconstruction project.

According to NCO Director Huang Li-Yuen, the contract of the Nanmen Building and Market Reconstruction Turnkey Project was awarded to Kedge Construction on May 31, 2019, and the design contract went to Bio-architecture Formosana. The total budget of the project is approximately NT$2.685 billion, and it is slated for completion in January 2023.

The new Nanmen building is an SRC structure with 5 basement floors and 12 floors aboveground; occupying 3,937m2 of land, the building has a total floor area of 46,800m2. Nanmen Market will take up floors B2 to 2F, and Taipei City Government-related organizations will take up floors 3F and up. The B1 floor shares a common entrance with MRT Wanda Line for the convenience of citizens. After it is completed, the building will become the latest landmark in Zhongzheng District. Sharing an entrance with 2 MRT lines, the new Nanmen building will become an integral part of the city, providing shoppers a brighter, airier marketplace and revitalizing the traditional market.

NCO Public Works Section Chief Kuo Chun-Sheng explained that the project has applied the top-down construction method in order to save time and fulfill the stall owners’ desire to return to Nanmen Market. The approach also decreases construction noise and dust pollution. A pre-construction briefing was convened on November 13 this year, where the local sub-district chief and residents proposed valuable suggestions that will be discussed and incorporated into the project’s design in order to make sure that the new Nanmen building will cater to the local culture and the convenience of the public.

NCO Universiade Branch Director Chan Ming-Cheng added that due to the constraints of the construction site, the Nanmen Building and Market Reconstruction Turnkey Project will be taking up parts of the existing roads, and relevant traffic management measures will be implemented. During construction, relevant routes will be surveyed in collaboration with the construction team of the nearby MRT Wanda Line along with a review of the necessary traffic management plans. Furthermore, the construction vehicles’ access time and route will be rigorously controlled in order to minimize their impact on existing pedestrian and vehicle routes, as well as to ensure the smooth flow of traffic in the construction area and keep any impact on traffic to the minimum. After construction begins, the roads will deviate in accordance with construction needs, so drivers are urged to reduce speed and drive with caution when passing through the construction site. Moreover, drivers should obey the instructions of the traffic controllers; thank you for your cooperation.