In 1914 Chen Chao-chun, the founding director of the Tataocheng Tea Commerce Association, turned what had been a private villa into a social club for Taiwanese gentry, Japanese officials and foreign guests. Such illustrious individuals as the father of the Republic of China Sun Yat-sen and the Chinese revolutionary Hu Han-min would make visits to this European-style building when they visited Taiwan.
一九一四年，大稻埕台北茶商共組「萬商公會」，首任會長陳朝駿修建了這一座私人的「圓山別莊」，作為他招待台灣仕紳、日本官員與海外嘉賓的社交聚會場所。包括國父孫中山與革命志士胡漢民來台時，都曾經在這幢歐風洋樓駐足。