The Cultural Affairs Bureau of Pingtung County announced on April 14 that the permanent exhibition "Tobacco Factory and Smoked Memories (菸．葉．廠－複薰的金黃記憶)" at the Pingtung 1936 Tobacco Culture Base (屏菸1936文化基地, PT1936) has won the prestigious iF Design Award 2023 under the category of Cultural Exhibitions.
The exhibition stood out from over ten thousand entries from 56 countries worldwide and won the German design award, hailed as the Oscar Award in the design field. This represents the county's second consecutive victory after Pingtung County Library won the award last year, gaining recognition internationally for its power of aesthetic design.
According to the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Pingtung County, the PT1936 retains its historical charm as an industrial heritage site. By using culture and arts as interfaces, the base integrates technology and interdisciplinary arts, and gathers museum clusters featuring a diverse range of themes, bringing the general public to explore the industry, arts, humanities, landscapes and creations in Pingtung.
In recent years, cultural construction has driven urban revitalization, resulting in remarkable achievements. The PT1936 celebrated its first anniversary in February and has gained popularity in a short time. It not only links to the aspect of local and industrial history, but also serves as a pathway connecting the past and future, gradually showcasing the core value of the contemporary city museum.
The PT1936, formerly the Pingtung Tobacco Factory, was established in 1936 as the Pingtung Branch Tobacco Re-drying Plant. It was closed in 2002 and registered as a historical building in 2017. In 2021, the factory was transformed into a new landmark that is rich with local memories and cultural and historical significance. It currently has several theme halls open to visitors, including the Tobacco Factory Museum and Hakka Museum. Meanwhile, warehouses within the park are undergoing restoration. From hardware to software, the base is designed to cater to different age groups of visitors, with the goal of making PT1936 a cultural and artistic landmark in Taiwan.
(Photo courtesy of Cultural Affairs Bureau of Pingtung County)