The famous buildings in old Shanghai are mainly concentrated along the Bund, as well as the International Hotel, Yong'an, Xianshi Company, etc. on Nanjing Road.
Shanghai’s well-known new buildings are mainly in Pudong, such as the Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Tower, Pudong Airport, etc.
Shanghai is now preparing to apply for "cultural heritage" for the Bund buildings. The following is a brief introduction to these buildings.
The Asia Building (now Pacific Insurance Company) at No. 1 on the Bund was built in 1913. It originally had 7 floors, but one floor was added later. The appearance is in the Baroque style, the columns are mainly Ionic, the ground floor arches are made of stone, and the exterior walls are made of stone tiles. The overall structure is reinforced concrete frame structure.
No. 2 on the Bund, Shanghai General Building (now Dongfeng Hotel) was built in 1910. It was the stage of social circles at that time. Architecture: The three-section treatment of horizontal straight lines is rich in rhythm. Six Ionic column capitals are added to the middle section of the second to third floors, which adds a three-dimensional effect to the entire building. The north and south sides of the building are symmetrical, and Baroque style columns are set at the top. The wind pavilion has various window shapes and exquisite carvings. The interior decoration is gorgeous, and the 34-meter-long bar is decorated with black and white marble, which was famous at the time.
Union Building No. 4 on the Bund (Yiyi Bank, Tianxiang Bank) (now Shanghai Civil Architectural Design Institute) No. 17 Guangdong Road In 1916, a new building was built after the old house was demolished, with a height of 5 stories and a roof extension. There is a pavilion, the whole building has large bays and high floors. It is the first steel frame structure building in Shanghai.
The Nissin Building at No. 5 on the Bund (now used by the Shanghai Maritime Bureau and other institutions) No. 20 Guangdong Road was built in 1921. It was designed by the British merchants Dehe Matheson. It is a 6-story reinforced concrete structure building. On the surface, The basic structure of the building is not much different from other modern buildings in Shanghai, but its line processing is mainly horizontal lines, which is one of the characteristics of modern Japanese and Western architecture.
No. 6-9 The Bund, China Merchants Ship Building (currently used by China Merchants Group Shanghai Co., Ltd.) (formerly China Merchants Bureau) was built in 1916. Masonry 3-story office building. Each floor of the building has a slate waistline. The facades on the second and third floors in the east adopt classical column style, the second floor is Doric style, and the third floor is mixed style. The stone is red granite. There is a protruding balcony on the door frame.
The HSBC Building at No. 12 on the Bund (now the Pudong Development Bank, once the seat of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government) was built in 1925. A building that is nearly square in shape. It is 5 stories high, and the middle part plus the raised building is 7 stories high, and has a hemispherical roof. The steel frame structure looks like a classical masonry structure, and the internal treatment adopts classical forms, such as Ionic colonnades, caisson-style ceilings, etc. The interior decoration is extremely elegant. The pillars, wall protections and floors in the hall are all covered with marble. It is not only equipped with heating, but also the most advanced air-conditioning equipment at that time.
No. 13 Customs Building on the Bund (now Shanghai Customs) was built in 1927. The architectural form is an eclectic combination of European classical architecture and modern architecture. Divided into east and west parts. The eastern part along the Bund is 7 stories high and built with Jinshan stone. The west part extends to Sichuan Middle Road and is 5 stories high. The second floor and above are built with red machine bricks. Along the Bund gate is a Greek Doric colonnade, and the entrance is a hall with complex plaster decorations and moldings, and a flat roof inlaid with gold and colorful mosaics. The highest point is the bell tower.
No. 15, the Bund, was built in 1910 by the Sino-Russian Bank and the Central Bank (now the Shanghai Foreign Exchange Trading Center). This is a 3-story masonry reinforced concrete mixed structure building. The plane is relatively regular, and the facade is decorated with classical columns and portrait sculptures. The exterior walls are decorated with white tiles, which was unique at the time. The indoor floor height is high and the floor is paved with patterned tiles.
No. 16, The Bund, Bank of Taiwan Building (now China Merchants Bank) was built in 1924. The reinforced concrete structure is a modern Japanese Western-style building. At the same time, it widely draws on the strengths of architecture from various countries, becoming a mixture of various styles of architecture.
The Zilin Building at No. 17 on the Bund (Shanghai Branch of American AIA Co., Ltd.) was originally built in 1921 by Lin Yangxing.
Modern architecture in Renaissance style. The facade of the building is divided into three levels. The first level is covered with rough large stones; the second level is painted with cement, showing the symmetry and harmony of Renaissance art; the third level is supported by double columns on the inner balcony, with two sides. The dome-shaped coupon windows and the top of the top tower show the changes in the building.
No. 18, The Bund, Macquarie Bank Building (now Hengyi Real Estate Management Co., Ltd.) was built in 1923. It is an eclectic building based on the Renaissance period. The ground floor is veneered with granite, which looks well-proportioned and coordinated and gives people a feeling of strong capital. On the second floor, the exterior wall is simply treated, supported by thick Baroque stone pillars, and the levels are full of changes.
No. 19 Huizhong Hotel on the Bund (now the South Building of Peace Hotel) was built in 1906. The building is 6 stories high and has a flat roof. It is a British-style brick and stone structure building. The facade is made of white bricks, and each floor is made of red bricks to outline the waistline. The door and window designs are varied and have a Baroque flavor. In 1911, people from all walks of life in Shanghai welcomed Mr. Sun Yat-sen as the interim president in this luxurious hotel.
No. 22, The Bund, Sassoon Building (now the North Building of Peace Hotel) was built in 1929. Designed by Gonghe Yangshang, it is the first completely modern building in the history of modern architecture in Shanghai.
No. 23, The Bund, Bank of China Building (now Bank of China Shanghai Branch) was built in 1937. One of the most successful skyscrapers in Shanghai. It is divided into two buildings: the east and west buildings. The west building is a 4-story reinforced concrete structure building. The east building is the main building, with a height of 15 floors, 2 floors underground, and 17 floors. It is a steel frame structure. The Chinese national style square spire is adopted, and other railings and window panes are processed with Chinese national characteristics. There are hollow patterns on both sides of each floor, showing a peaceful atmosphere.
No. 24, The Bund, Yokohama Zhengjin Bank Building (now China Construction Bank Shanghai Branch) was built in 1924. The building is 7 stories high, with reinforced concrete structure and modern Japanese Western style architecture. It was originally the Yokohama Shokin Bank in Japan. The underlying stones are veneered with clear horizontal lines, creating a bright and light feeling. The huge stone pillars imitating classicism between the second and fifth floors add a sense of solemnity and elegance to the building.
No. 27, The Bund, Jardine Matheson Building (now Shanghai Foreign Trade Building) was a two-story building in its early days and was rebuilt in 1920. Imitating the architectural form of the British Renaissance, it is 5 stories high, with Corinthian columns decorating the facade. The first and second floors are treated as a group, and the third, fourth and fifth floors are treated as a group, decorated with rough-hewn rectangular stones. It is a building with a reinforced concrete structure, large windows and bright interior.
No. 28, the Bund, Yitai Building (formerly a broadcasting building and now owned by Shanghai Radio and Television Group) was built in 1920. The overall building is a modern retro-style building. The main door and side door are designed as Roman arches, with granite classical columns on both sides. The exterior walls from the ground to the second floor are veneered with granite, creating a heavy and elegant look. Classical mood. Taking into account the coordination and unity of the building's appearance and function with other buildings on the Bund, the architect designed a roof pavilion on the roof facing the Bund, which is shaped like a lookout on an ocean liner. This bionic design also makes Yita Building one of Shanghai's most iconic buildings. One of the few bionic buildings on the beach.
No. 29, the Bund, the Amundi Building (now China Everbright Bank) was built in 1914. A typical French classical building, there is a scroll-shaped broken mountain flower above the entrance arch, which reveals the French baroque design technique. In the middle is a huge Ionic column with obvious three-section processing horizontally and vertically.
No. 33 The Bund The British Consulate (now the Second General Office of the Shanghai Municipal Government) was first built in 1849, renovated in 1852, and destroyed by fire in 1870. The current building was built in 1873. It has the architectural style of the British Renaissance. The main building is two stories high. The entire building has a square plane and Chinese butterfly tiles are used on the top of the floor. In order to allow good ventilation on the ground floor, the platform is higher and there are more doors and windows on the facade. Most of them are round. Arch and flat arch. Surrounded by lush trees and wide lawns, the building is even more elegant and noble.
No. 2 North Suzhou Road, Shanghai Tower (formerly Broadway Building) was built in 1934, with 22 floors and a height of 88 meters.
It is a splayed apartment structure in the early modernist style. The exterior treatment and interior decoration are simple and clear, and the appearance is majestic. It is now a three-star hotel. The building was once the commanding height of the North Bund, and its spacious viewing platform on the 18th floor is an excellent place to overlook the panoramic view of the Bund. The North Wall of Waibaidu Bridge (formerly Licha Hotel) of the Stock Exchange was built in 1910. The appearance adopts the form of British neoclassical architecture. It is a 5-story building with a mixed structure of reinforced concrete and brick and wood. There are large curved arches built next to the windows on the fifth floor, and large Ionic capitals are decorated on the third and fourth floors. Some of the windows use arc arches and some use flat arches. The renovated building has many concave and convex surfaces and is very deep. The indoor light is dim.