本文討論日本殖民時期臺灣建築與城市歷史寫作之方法論，而由於歷史角度之對話，認為日本殖民時期臺灣建築與城市是殖民的現代性營造：一種沒有主體建構過程的現代性。作者強調，首先，由世界史之中的第三世界歷史的角度，尤其是由十八世紀末到十九世紀的殖民建築與城市之歷史系譜，審視日本殖民時期的臺灣建築與城市。其次，由比較研究，一方面可將近年英、法等殖民地建築與城市之研究，與日本殖民臺灣之建築與城市相互比較，不但可以認識到殖民建築與城市之共同性，而且可以認識日本殖民的特殊性。另一方面日本殖民地間之比較研究，更可以使我們進一步理解中國東北、韓國與臺灣間之特殊性及其日後的不同命運。然後，在殖民地之共同經驗上，本文討論日本殖民時期臺灣建築與城市所表徵之殖民現代性建構，這是主體缺席之現代性。以此為基礎，我們才得以建構批判的現代性，在質疑歐洲╱日本中心性與獨特性預設下，重寫他者（異己）之歷史。最後，作者指出歷史工作者必須以有反省性之反身認同，重建自身之歷史感。這是主體建構之必要過程。這是歷史創造與實踐中摸索所必須的歷史感，也是展望明日之臺灣城市再建築之視野。所以，殖民現代性營造的歷史，其實是為不斷的歷史對話重寫的歷史。

　　　　　This paper provides some initial considerations of Japanese architecture and urbanism in colonial Taiwan. I argue that architecture and urbanism during Japanese occupation are a project of building colonial modernity; that is, modernity without subjectivity. First, I review colonial Taiwan's architecture and urbanism from the perspective of the third word history vis-a-vis that of the world history, with emphasis on the genealogy of the colonial architecture and urbanism in the late 18the and the 19the centuries. Second, through a comparative study with some recent research on British and French colonies, I will show not only the commonality of colonial architecture and urbanism among them but also the specificity of Japanese colony. Following that, a comparative study among different Japanese colonies, I will demonstrate further the specificities and the different destinies of those various places in the postcolonial period. My goals are to synthesize those common colonial experiences and to argue that the colonial modernity represented by the Japanese colonial architecture and urbanism in Taiwan is a modernity from which the subject is absent. Based on that argument, I will formulate a critical modernity and suggest that the others'histories be rewritten through questioning the centrality and uniqueness of Europe/Japan. Finally, I propose that a reflexive project of self-identity is a necessary condition for a historical sense of subjectivity reconstitution. That historical sense is crucial for making history and practice as well as for a vision of the cities and architecture of tomorrow. The histories of building colonial modernity, therefore, have to be rewritten in the form of on-going historical dialogue.