Art Deco influence on Shanghai’s shikumen
We all know that Art Deco has had a major influence in Shanghai starting from the 1930s at the peak of its Concession-era building boom. This city boasts one of the most…
Heritage Architecture
Take me to the white elephant
The sun shone brilliantly albeit through a light haze. My objective that morning was to photograph a particular shikumen in Xiaonanmen (小南门). And Katya Knyazeva and Ishi Mak were…
Life behind the wall
It can be claustrophobic in the alleys, especially when the backs of the shikumen apartments sit so closely to one another; it feels they are closing in. Hengfeng Lane (恒丰里) along the leafy…
A book on Hudec’s most iconic architecture in Shanghai
On my way to the Rockbund Art Museum for coffee this past Sunday, I strolled by the distinctive and imposing Christian Literature Society Building and the China Baptist…
Dong Dayou’s European facade on north Wukang Lu
This past weekend has proven to be overly active that Monday’s malaise at the office desk seemed like a welcome break. As part of an art collaboration with…
The Astrid Apartments
Over a month ago, on a cloudy spring afternoon, I found myself standing in front of a spectacular Art Deco building, all eight floors of mustard yellow and…
The history of a Shanghai villa
Update: The Atlantic has published “The Elegant History of Shanghai’s Rundown Communal Villas” which I wrote based on this post. But I had the luxury of adding more…
The Majestic Theatre under renovation
Hands cupped on both sides, I peered inside the dusty and vacant lobby of the Majestic Theatre (美琪大戏院), searching for a way in to no avail. I tested…
A Seventh-day Adventist church of yesteryear, a budget inn of today
“No, I told you, you can’t go upstairs if you’re not a guest,” the teenage hotel desk clerk scowled at my camera. Just then, a portly middle-aged man…
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