Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Shanghai Surprise - 1933 -

133 Centre - A stunning renovation.....

There are more secrets here then you know. Firstly a fabulous renovation of this amazing abattoire in Shanghai. Who knew the Chinese were so wonderful with concrete in the Deco era!

I hesitate to analyize the spaces as the ghosts are too many.... however; it really is a fabulous architectural space fast becoming a creative lifestyle hub of art and design, firstly really a work of art in itself.

Design Bloggers may not believe what is housed in some of the spaces! ( till tomorrow...)














3 comments:

Michelle said...

Can't believe it's an abattoir. Amazing structure...

French-Kissed said...

Amazing. Last year I did a website for a shotcrete company and I am guessing this had to be done with shotcrete...concrete pnuematicaly placed through a high pressure hose. It allows for such vast creativity beyond formed and poured in place concrete.

~jermaine~

Concrete Jungle said...

Jermaine - from www.Scribes of the Orient.com

'Built in 1933, the old Shanghai Abattoir is a fine example of early 20th-century industrial art. Developed by two Zhejiang businessmen – who also built the Post Office overlooking Suzhou Creek – and designed by an English architect using cement shipped from the UK, the abattoir features a strikingly-carved art deco frontage topped by a square, almost Moorish, central dome. Sitting on a curving parcel of land spliced by a meandering creek, it functioned as a slaughterhouse until being converted into a medicine factory in 1970.'

I wonder who the English architect was...will search some more. I see shotcrete or gunite was developed in the early 1900's....all very interesting!

Cheers Heather