Dadaocheng is the area with the highest concentration of cultural assets in Taipei City and has long been known for its thriving commerce. Reflecting the Qing Dynasty, Japanese rule, and the post-war era, various forms and styles of commercial street houses stand side by side, shaping Dadaocheng’s unique neighborhood character. The building at No. 155, Section 1, Dihua Street, now operated by BackerHouse, is a three-story Minnan-style shophouse built during the Qing Rule Period with additions made during the Japanese rule period and after the war. In 2005, it was designated as a historic building by the Taipei City Department of Cultural Affairs.

From 2012 to 2019, No. 155, Section 1, Dihua Street served as the “URS Urban Regeneration Station” under the Taipei Urban Regeneration Office. In 2020, after completion of its phase mission, it was transferred from the Taipei Urban Regeneration Office to the Taipei City Department of Cultural Affairs, which promoted the Old House Cultural Movement Project. The initiative aimed to attract private organizations through a system where restoration costs could offset rent and management fees, creating a public-private partnership for revitalization.

The crowdfunding consultancy company Backer-Founder submitted a proposal to the Taipei City Department of Cultural Affairs at this time, inviting the X-Basic Team and Huang Wei-cheng Architectural Firm to assist with local historical research, space renovation, interior decoration, and a series of operational planning recommendations. To accommodate future store operations, the team built upon the restoration work done by Lu Ta-chi Architectural Firm ten years earlier, proposing appropriate restoration and reuse plans for the future.

This Minnan-style shophouse with a “one-section, two-hall, two-corridor” layout suffered from wall mold due to ground and roof water seepage, along with damaged doors, windows, and electrical interfaces. After conducting surveys and documenting current conditions, the team carried out restoration work on four major components: wall surfaces, floors, doors and windows, and wooden stairs. During the process, the team not only considered the compatibility of building materials with the architectural aesthetics but also followed reversible renovation techniques. While striving for thorough restoration, they strengthened the connection between new and old materials to facilitate future management and maintenance.

In 2022, Backer-Founder transformed Dihua Street No. 155 into an exhibition and sales space for crowdfunding brands and products, officially opening as BackerHouse, bringing new creative products, crowdfunding business energy, and fundraising events to revitalize No. 155 Dihua Street. Currently, the store showcases over 50 brands formed through crowdfunding, bringing new industrial exchanges to the historic district of Dadaocheng.

As part of the Old House Cultural Movement, revitalizing old houses through crowdfunded experiential spaces is quite a creative approach even in Taipei. Combined with Dadaocheng’s background as a once-thriving commercial district, this repurposing of old houses further extends the historical context of a neighborhood once filled with Chinese medicine shops, tea merchants, general stores, and other vendors. It further establishes roots in Dadaocheng in both software and hardware aspects through a new-era business model. This is precisely the ideal old house regeneration envisioned by the X-Basic team, which focuses on practical everyday needs while addressing the importance of preserving historical memory. We are honored to have had the opportunity to participate in the BackerHouse proposal project, helping to connect the old house with contemporary times. We watch as No. 155 Dihua Street continues to flourish, accompanying this historic district, already famous for its commercial prosperity, as it strides confidently into the next era.