The Red House (Ximen Hong Lou) is one of the most distinctive surviving pieces of Japanese-era architecture in Taipei: an octagonal red-brick market hall built in 1908 to the design of Kondo Juro, the architect of much of colonial Taiwan's public infrastructure. The shape — eight equal sides representing the eight winds — was chosen to give the market the best light and ventilation.
The market closed long ago. The building today is a craft and design centre, hosting a steady stream of small exhibitions, a weekend craft market in the back square, and a cluster of LGBTQ-friendly bars in the alley behind it. The interior has been opened up and the trusses left exposed; the cafe-bar on the ground floor is a pleasant escape from Ximending's permanent crowd.