A residential area in Shanghai's Pudong that was once home to
some of the most important architects in the city's early history
will be renovated before the 2010 World Expo in the hopes of
attracting tourists, officials with the Pudong government said
Tuesday.?
The complex is located in Pudong's Gaoqiao Town, which was built
more than 800 years ago.
An exhibition hall looking at the history of architects in the
city will open to the public this year in Yangxiantang, courtyard
surrounded by three-story buildings that dates back to the
1930s.
"These architects are the city's founding fathers. They combined
Chinese and western architectural styles," said Zhu Longzhu, head
of the Pudong cultural relics management office.
She said the Pudong government has chosen a 27-square-kilometer
area in Gaoqiao to turn into a scenic attraction for visitors
during the World Expo.
Gaoqiao is located in northern Pudong, about a 40-minute drive
from People's Square. A five-square-kilometer section in the center
of Gaoqiao will be the heart of the scenic spot.
More than 20 of the 53 protected historical sites in Pudong are
located in Gaoqiao.
Unlike historic houses in Puxi, such as shikumen and villa
gardens, most buildings in Gaoqiao were built during the late Qing
Dynasty (1644-1911) and the early years of the Republic of China
(1912-1949).
Some of the famed architects who lived in Gaoqiao include Wang
Songyun (1857-1939), who designed the Park Hotel's southern
building along the Bund, and Xie Bingheng, who designed the
British-style Yangshupu Gas Plant in 1934.
Most then architects built their own residences in Gaoqiao in
the early 20th century when cement was first introduced to China in
large quantities. Their homes generally mixed Chinese and western
styles, with many having fireplaces in the living room.
(Shanghai Daily March 14, 2007)