Dahe Road UFO House

Taiwan has an unusual fixation on UFO houses. Browse around the web and you’ll invariably encounter references to the famous UFO resort in Sanzhi, demolished long ago in 2009. Keep digging and you might read about a second UFO resort in Wanli, still extant. But there’s more—and you don’t even have to leave Taipei city limits to find yet another example of this peculiar architectural inclination.

Date CapturedMarch 2nd, 2016 at 08:33 UTCCameraSM-G9208Apertureƒ / 1.9Shutter Speed1/30 secFocal Length4.3 mmISO64Exposure Value6.8 EVOriginal Size1200 × 675

Turns out there’s a small UFO house hidden among the high-rises just east of Dūnhuà South Road (敦化南路) in Da’an, one of the richest areas of the country. From the news report it sounds like the owner isn’t a full-time resident—actually, he’s a wealthy landlord, evidently one with eccentric tastes. The unit, which boasts indoor plumbing, air conditioning, and a small parking space underneath the body of the house, appears to be entirely livable. I wonder if the owner has heard of AirBNB?

Date CapturedMarch 2nd, 2016 at 08:33 UTCCameraSM-G9208Apertureƒ / 1.9Shutter Speed1/12 secFocal Length4.3 mmISO200Exposure Value5.4 EVOriginal Size1200 × 675

I am curious about the ultimate origin of this obviously prefabricated house. This is not, as you might imagine, a Futuro House, for it is obviously too small. Nor is it one-of-a-kind, for I have also seen evidence of at least four more in the ruins of Shàngxīn Garden (上新花園) in Yilan.

Date CapturedMarch 2nd, 2016 at 08:34 UTCCameraSM-G9208Apertureƒ / 1.9Shutter Speed1/120 secFocal Length4.3 mmISO64Exposure Value8.8 EVOriginal Size1200 × 675