Chiayi City Opens Regional Design Center in Historic Tobacco Factory

Chiayi City has inaugurated its new Regional Design Center, housed in Warehouse No. 1 of the historic Chiayi Tobacco Factory. The center officially opened its doors on June 11, marking a significant step in the city's ambition to become a hub for design-driven urban governance.

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The Regional Design Center is not just an exhibition space, but an important platform for Chiayi City to promote design-driven urban governance.

Mayor Huang Min-hui emphasized that the center is more than just an exhibition space. It serves as a crucial platform for integrating design principles into the city's administration and development. The opening coincides with the launch of the first Chiayi City Design Week, themed "Original Resonance," which will feature exhibitions, forums, and workshops until June 21.

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The establishment of the Regional Design Center is not only an important achievement in the revitalization and reuse of the old Chiayi Tobacco Factory but also symbolizes Chiayi City's new phase of moving towards design-driven urban governance from its status as a wood city and painting city.

The initiative aims to revitalize urban spaces through culture and design, building on Chiayi's heritage as a "wood city" and "painting city." The center will focus on urban innovation, cultural curation, talent cultivation, and international cooperation. Plans include launching international artist residency programs with cities like Fujiyoshida, Japan, and Chiang Mai, Thailand, to expand the city's global cultural network.

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The center's establishment in the old Chiayi Tobacco Factory's Warehouse No. 1 not only continues the historical memory of the site but also symbolizes Chiayi City's continuous revitalization of urban spaces through culture and design.