(Text with kind permission from Hudec.cn)

Locating at No. 209 Yuanmingyuan Road, China Baptist Publication Society Building was formerly known as Gospel Light Building, referring to the publication Gospel Light, by the Baptist organization. Now the building remains vacant.. Designed in September 1930 and completed in March 1932, the eight-storey reinforced concrete structure was engineered by BENGTLINDSKOG and constructed by the Qiaxing Constructing Firm.
Facing to the east, the façade features acute-angled vertical lines rolling along the parapets and setback on the top levels, all covered with dark brown brick tiles. All these are typical expressions of the Gothic Art Deco style of American skyscrapers at that time. The slim brick columns with stone cappings together with large glass windows between form a strong texture and pattern of light and shadow. The interior public space paved with terrazzo or mosaic, the flowing treatments to the ceilings, corner beads and use of light are all evidence of Modernism. Some important organizations, such as the Christian Publishing House, the China Baptist Publication Society, and Hujiang University occupied the Building successively. After 1932, Hudec’s firm was also moved into this Building.
The design of this building reveals the formation of Hudec’s individual architectural style, with a preference for Gothic Revival architectural features, particularly notable in the rich brickwork façade. It also witnesses his growth step by step as an ecletic architect able to work in a variety of architectural styles. (The building has been listed as Heritage Architecture of Shanghai since 1994.)

Another fine example of Art Deco in Shanghai in the post-liberation period. Construction started on 30th October, 1962.

One of the most famous schools in Shanghai, it was founded in 1874 by Xu Shou and an English missionary called John Fryer.

Thanks to Mr. Hua Kejian, the guest speaker for the November ESH Meeting. This building has always been a hospital, even more than 100 years ago. It was founded by Erich Paulun in 1900, the German doctor who founded the medical school which is now known as Tongji University. Today, this house is part of the Changzheng Hospital.

On a beautiful early summer night in May 2009, I had this special chance to attend the regular ESH Meeting (Explore Shanghai Heritage) at the German Consulate and listen to the night’s special guest, Mr. To Foo Ying recalling about the life of Old Shanghai. Born in Shanghai to the wealthy Ying family, he left for Hong Kong after the liberation and according to Mrs. Gabi, the consul’s wife, Mr. Ying went on to become a very successful businessman in the city. An alumnus of the St. John’s the Divine, he revisited Shanghai with his very elegant wife on this special occasion for an alumni gathering.

A 3-storey building with a "false fourth floor" located on the former Burkill Road, the present day Fengyang Road, it was built by To Foo’s father and cost him 100,000 tils of silver with all stone granite delivered from Soochow. It is interesting to note the rather hidden location of the house too. I have been in Shanghai for so many years and walked down this street for a trillion times but never will I know the existence of this unique building had I not attended this meeting. To Foo said Mr Ying the Senior was once kidnapped thus he wanted his house to be hidden behind the markets so as to keep away from any unwanted attention.

The family owned a lot of properties, Linongs (Alley Houses) and lands all over Shanghai and one day, after 33 years living in the house, the People’s Government wanted to sue Mr. Ying, Sr. because a wall of one of the family’s Linongs on Tianjin Road was slanting. To Foo, who was 32 years old back then, represented his father on the 1st hearing.

"What do you have to compensate?"
"Nothing"

On the 2nd hearing: The same question and also the same reply from To Foo.

After the 3rd hearing, To Foo went home and told his father that he’d go to jail if he can do nothing to compensate and convinced him to sell the house.

Mr. To Foo continued a very interesting part about the currency reform after the liberation which I couldn’t quite understand but anyway, in the very end, they sold the house to the government for 175,000 yuan.

Currently, the house is owned by a private advertising company. On a cold rainy afternoon, I went into the courtyard of the house and told the guard the words Boris (an architect, son of Mr. To Foo) taught me; I asked him earlier whether it’s possible to visit the house. Then I was greeted by a Mr. Y-, who I suppose to be the boss of the company. A firm handshake and a friendly smile, he instructed the guard to show me around and I had this privilege to take pictures from any corners of the house, from the ground floor up to the "false fourth floor". Mr Zhao the guard, who happens to be a serious amateur photographer, helped me to get my tripod setup in the narrow staircase and hallways, and gave me a lot of invaluable suggestions on getting the best angle inside the house. The stained glass, I would say, are the most beautiful things, so as the tiled floors and the beautiful balcony… …

Built in 1916 for Royal Dutch Shell’s Asiatic Petroleum division.

Designed by the firm of Lester, Johnson, & Morris (Henry Lester, George A. Johnson & Gordon Morris) in 1934; now the Shanghai Seaman’s Hospital. The building looks like an airplane or a bird when seen from above: Click here

Text with kind permission from www.Hudec.cn

Shanghai Joint Savings Society Building, known today as the International Hotel, or Park Hotel, is located at No. 170 West Nanjing Road. It was named after the allied bank founded in 1923 by the Yienyieh Commercial Bank, Kincheng Banking corporation, the China and South Sea Bank and the Continental Bank. Designed in March 1931 and completed in December 1934, the building is 83.8-metres high and contains 22 stories above ground and another 2 stories underground. Built by Voh Kee Construction Company, the piling project was finished by a Danish Company established by Corrit.
Taking early American skyscrapers in New York and Chicago as a source of inspiration, J.S.S. Building was designed in a style of modern Art Deco with long vertical stripes shrinking layer upon layer on the elevations and creating a setback skyline at the top of the tower above the 15th floor. The facade is mostly covered with brown facing bricks while the bottom is coated with black granite. All these materials are produced in China. The building has a steel frame structure, coated with concrete for fireproofing, and reinforced concrete floors. Thanks to the raft foundation of reinforced concrete and the dense and deep sheet-piling, the building has the least subsidence among the high-rises built in Shanghai at that time. Each floor is equipped with hydrants, automatic extinguishing spray devices and artesian units along with a tap water supply system. Its cold air system was also the first application among hotels built in China at that time.
J.S.S Building has been reputed as the tallest in the Far East for several decades and the highest landmark in Shanghai for nearly half a century. It is Hudec’s masterpiece of modernism and Art Deco by virtue of rapid development in both financial investment in real estate and building technology in Shanghai in 1930s, the design and the construction of the Park Hotel reached the highest level of skyscrapers in the Far East in 1930s. (The building has been listed as Heritage Architecture of Shanghai in 1989.)

Text with kind permission from www.Hudec.cn

Moore Memorial Church, known today as the Mu En Tang, is located at No. 316 Middle Xizang Road. It was formerly a Methodist Church, established in 1887 and then changed its’ name to “Moore Memorial Church”, when rebuilt in 1931 with money donated by Mr. JM Moore, in memory of his daughter. Occupied by the Japanese army from 1941 to 1945 and then by a Nanjing Middle School, it resumed its religious functions in 1979. Covering a site area of 1,347 square-meters and building area of 3,138 square-meters, the church was of a three-storey steel－concrete structure, constructed by the “English Eastern Ironworks” Company.
The Moore Memorial Church now serves as a community Church for Chinese Christians. . Facing West, the main church lies in the centre, with several auxiliary rooms at the four corners. Wide galleries on each side of the chapel serve as a transition space from the exterior to the interior worship space.. The English neo-Gothic church features unique exterior walls constructed in a textured pattern with alternating protruding red bricks and stone quoins on the wall corners. The flamboyant ecclesiastical lancet windows in the tower and on the bay windows in the entrance, and in the flanking halls are a typical Tudor style.. The Gothic vaulted ceilings, finished with stone ribbing combined with the stained glass windows, give mystery and warmth to the church. With a height of 42.1 meters, the Bell Tower on the south-west corner was the highest tower in Shanghai at the time.
The completion of Moore Memorial Church witnessed Hudec’s maturity in the free application of classical architectural styles. He was able to deal with complicated functional requirements, foundation conditions and the surrounding street-scape, and to cast rational thought toward the creation of an environment of a special character.

Text by John Meckley

The Capitol Theatre, the first air-conditioned cinema in Shanghai, was located in the Shahmoon Building designed by C.H. Gonda.

Built in 1929, it’s not a recreational centre where one can see lots of middle aged locals debating about the stock market at the main entrance during weekends.

Update: I visited the building today (20th August, 2008) and climbed to Level 6, which is still a hotel, with a cafe overlooking the People’s Park. There is a roof top garden where a yoga house hides.

(text from Ruan Yi Shan Brochure)

Shanghai was officially opened to foreigners as a commercial treaty port on November 17, 1843. The British consulate to Shanghai was built in July 1849. It was burnt to askes on December 24, 1870. The rebuilding commenced in June, 1872 nd was completed in 1873. The building displays a combination of British Renaissance and Victorian Style. Brick-wood structured, it has an H-plan with a four-slope roof.

Central Jiangxi Rd and Fuzhou Rd; desgined by Palmer and Turner; completed in 1932

Built from 1922 to 1924 and designed by Stewardson & Spence, the building is in Classical style. Its two main facades use three-storey high Corinthian columns. The main door is on the corner, and is topped by a Baroque style clock tower. The sides of the clocktower are decorated with three statuory groups. The central group features Hermes, flanked by Eros and Aphrodite, the god and goddess of love. On the second level is the 1200 square metre main trading hall, which was known as the “First Hall of the Far East”.

The building housed the General Post Office for the International Settlement and the French Concession in Shanghai.

It is now used as the headquarters of the Shanghai postal services. It is protected as a National Artefact Preservation Unit.

(Source: Wikipedia)

I last visited this building on a winter day in 2003 and took some pictures of it. I still remember the Beyer Logo on the top of the building, which is now removed.

I first visited this place after the SARS outbreak in mid 2003 with a cheap compact camera, and took a picture of a stone tablet hidden at one corner of the building. The following is engraved on the plaque:

Foundation Stone was laid on
20th May 1933
By Mrs Katherine Burkill and
Commemorates the demolition of the
Historical Grane Stand erected in 1863 and
the erection of this building

The DC team is not sure about the historical facts about this building. So if you happen to know about it, please let us know. Thanks.

(info from Shanghai Daily Supplement, graciously provided by MRP46)