Former building of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce renovated
June 26, 2018 Category China News Round-up, Weekly
A historical building that once housed China’s first modern chamber of commerce has reopened after seven years of renovation, with an inaugural exhibition of its own history. The former office of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce is located on the northern bank of Suzhou Creek, an area that was the cradle of commerce and finance in the city about a century ago. The Chamber was founded in February 1912, and once stood among 21 warehouses and 205 companies. It assisted in efforts to draft China’s first business law, and it opened the nation’s first arbitration office, its first commodity exhibition center, its first business library and the first retail mall selling diverse domestic merchandise.
“The chamber strove to drive the prosperity of the local business sector, along with supporting various patriotic campaigns,” said historian Jiang Yihua. The office building was completed in 1916. Some years later, a giant gateway was erected on the south of the building. The compound was the work of Atkinson & Dallas, a British architectural company that thrived in Shanghai in the early 1900s. The gateway’s design was based on the Arch of Titus in Rome, featuring four pillars in the typical Corinthian style of ancient Greece. The three-story red-brick office building itself was in the style of Western classicism. The centerpiece of the facade contains two Ionic pilasters, commonly seen in classical Greek temples. Stone steps lead to the building’s main entrance. A colorful handcrafted mosaic floor adds vintage touches to the foyer, including a giant floral pattern based on a mandala-style design. Wooden stairways feature exquisite decorations.
The highlight of the structure, according to local architectural expert Zheng Shiling, is the two-story high conference hall, which can hold 800 people. It features an 18.3-meter-long ceiling dome, dark wood paneling on walls, and corridors with ornate decorations and elegant railings. The building is located at 470 Beisuzhou Road, the Shanghai Daily reports.
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