Head Office of Commercial and Industrial Bank of Taiwan (1912-1945)
This two-story building, featuring a "Baroque Revival" façade, served as the headquarters of the Commercial and Industrial Bank of Taiwan. It was located at the intersection of Yanping South Road and Kaifeng Street in Taipei, and it is now the First Bank Yanping Building. During the Japanese colonial period, the Taiwan street improvement plan aimed to transform the streetscapes of urban and rural areas with new architectural styles. Baroque Revival architectural design was introduced, characterized by classical arched wooden windows, grand and ornate gables, Grecian-style columns, and intricate floral and plant reliefs. This Renaissance-style ornate architecture was the mainstream for public buildings in Taiwan at the time, embodying a majestic and powerful symbolism. The pinnacle of this style is exemplified by the Taiwan Governor-General's Office, completed in 1919.