The 'Green Ray Project' breathes new life into an old neighborhood

Words by Lin Fu-shan Translated by Angel Pu
Photos by Lin Fu-shan and Pedro Lucas Teixeira Pinho

Fantasystory_Green Ray
8, ZhongXing 1st Lane, ZhongXing St, West Dist.
(04) 2301 6717
www.fantasystory.com.tw

The Calligraphy Parkway undoubtedly ranks among Taichung's most popular attractions, drawing large numbers of visitors on any given weekend or holiday. What they may not know is that many businesses in this area--such as Lu Guang Sen Lin restaurant, Thai Tarot, and The Cat That Doesn't Eat Mice studio--fall under the Fantasy Group. This team that has recently unveiled yet another commercial cluster in this area known as the "Green Ray Project", built around the themes of green/eco-friendliness, creativity and dreams.

It all started two years ago, when the Fantasy Group found an old dormitory on ZhongXing 1st Lane that once belonged to the water company, but had been abandoned for over 20 years. In a series of efforts, the group removed the near-collapsed wooden roofing as well as old furniture and items belonging to the former owners, leaving little except the old floor tiles and red-brick walls that had witnessed many years of history. The structures, still covered with ivy, now received a new lease on life as part of the neighborhood's latest chapter.

Today, this community has been transformed with modern glass walls and new buildings. In order to preserve some of the original atmosphere for visitors, the team has attempted to refrain from changing the building too much and replanted old trees on a plaza. Together, the trees and structure will accompany the new owners as they seek to fulfill their dreams, even as a growing number of visitors discover this place.

There are currently 18 studios and shops located here, most of them "retro style" product stores.

ZABWAY
This Taiwanese brand sells flip-flops and T-shirts and its five design elements are fun, adaptation, comfort, hotness, and culture. The designers hope that every customer will enjoy a more beautiful, brighter feeling when wearing their products.

Fu-yu Umbrellas
Fu-yu offers unique umbrellas that are all made in Taiwan, each with a one-of-its-kind pattern. They also fix umbrellas for customers.

Isabella's Cafe
Isabella's Cafe mainly offers light meals, set meals, coffee and freshly-blended juices. The restaurant has a retro atmosphere, thanks to its quaint furniture and decorations that the owner brought back from her Canadian house, helping diners relax more and feel completely at home.

My Mini Food
The name of this place makes it sound like a restaurant, but it's actually a DIY clay studio for parents and kids. Here, both adults and little ones can have fun transforming playdough into miniature foods in a space that feels just like a restaurant.

Chi Guo Zhi Bai Shu Tou
This shop's name is an old Chinese slang term that can be literally translated as, "Worship the fruit trees when eating the fruit", which reminds visitors to be thankful and always show gratitude. The shop mainly sells local agricultural products such as olives from Xinhua, taro from Jiaxian, coffee from Guoxing, black tea from Sun Moon Lake, and handicrafts made with tree bark. Unique postcards and notebooks can also be found here.

Mini Amer
The owner has brought back all kinds of unique, stylish clothing, accessories, living products, household decorations and furniture from different places in the United States, helping guarantee that customers will almost never find the same items they bought here anywhere else.

SOBDEALL
This is another Taiwanese brand that offers high-quality handmade leather goods, including bags, accessories and all kinds of leather items, mostly made with materials imported from Italy. Customers can also create their own DIY leather products.

Besides the above-mentioned businesses, the "Green Ray" shopping area also includes stores that offer second-hand products, plus bookstores, bedding shops and various eateries offering Belgian waffles, Austrian coffee, cool noodles, handmade cookies and cakes. There is also a hair salon.

Yet more stores have been opened by local designers and crafters, waiting to be discovered. All this helps make the Green Ray Project one of Taichung's new strongholds for creativity, combining local features, eco-friendliness and a spirit to generate a better, happier life.