Wukang Mansion
Wukang Mansion | |
---|---|
武康大楼 | |
Xuhui District, Shanghai | |
Address | 1836–1858 Middle Huaihai Road |
Country | China |
Coordinates | 31°12′16″N 121°26′18″E / 31.2045°N 121.4383°E |
Inaugurated | 1924 |
Height | 30 m (98 ft) |
Technical details | |
Floor count | 8 |
Floor area | 9,275 m2 (99,840 sq ft) |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | László Hudec |
The Wukang Mansion or Wukang Building (
Location
The building is located at the southern end of
Architecture
Completed in 1924, the eight-storey building was designed by the renowned Hungarian-Slovak architect László Hudec (1893–1958), who designed many landmarks in Shanghai. It is in the French Renaissance style and is the oldest veranda-style apartment building in Shanghai.[3] There's an urban legend that the name was to commemorate Normandie, a World War I-era battleship. However no such battleship served in WWI in the French Navy. The building looks like a ship from one direction.[3] The unusual wedge-shape of the building is reminiscent of the Flatiron Building in New York City.[4]
The concrete building is 30 metres (98 ft) tall, occupies a land area of 1,580 square metres (17,000 sq ft), and has a floor area of 9,275 square metres (99,840 sq ft). There were originally 63 apartments, 30 servants' quarters, and three elevators.[2]
History
Originally built for Western employees of companies based in the foreign concessions, the building was bought by Kung Ling-wei, daughter of the wealthy banker
The former Normandie Apartments was renamed in 1953 to Wukang Mansion after the street it is on.
Wukang Mansion is one of Shanghai's historic buildings under municipal protection.[2] In 2008 it was restored by the government of Xuhui District.[3]
It appears in "Death at the Wukang Mansion" in Dear Chrysanthemums (Scribner, 2023), a novel in stories by writer, poet, translator, and musician Fiona Sze-Lorrain.[1]
See also
References
- ISBN 978-1-74179-963-7.
- ^ a b c d e f 法国式浪漫优雅的诺曼底公寓大楼 (武康大楼) (in Chinese). Shanghai Chronicles. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- ^ a b c "Restoring a slice of Shanghai". China Daily. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- ISBN 978-9812618658.
- ^ a b c 武康大楼 停泊在上海的诺曼底战舰 (in Chinese). Xinmin News. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- ^ a b Knyazeva, Katya (21 October 2009). "Haunted Shanghai: A ghostly apartment building". CNN. Retrieved 5 October 2013.