Monday, November 18, 2013

A Shanghai Villa

Shanghai Villa

A bonus from our impromptu walk with Shanghai Art Deco was getting behind the high wall and just as high gate to see this Shanghai villa. It's now used as offices and is a bit unloved but the bare bones are there and it could be fabulous again.

This is the view of the front of the villa from the private garden but the entrance on the side of the building next to the driveway is fabulous.

Shanghai Villa

I love this door.

Shanghai Villa

The closer you look the better it gets and check out the terrazzo star in the circular entrance hall.

Shanghai Villa

4 comments:

  1. Great find! The top photo reminds me very much of our own Burnham Beeches in Sherbrooke. Very similar architectural responses, but 5,000 ks apart.

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    1. Yes, different scale, but certainly similar responses. Good use of tiered boxes to provide several terrace areas at different levels.

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  2. Thanks for posting, David. We lived in this house 2001-2008 and loved every minute of it. Thoughtful design, quality materials, beautiful facing and a fascinating history.

    In the photo of the door, note the glass bricks on either side. Above, those are glass tubes, silicon glued together. An interesting solution to the challenge of bringing in natural light in a curved space.

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    1. Thanks Patrick. It must have been a lovely space to live in. It would have been nice to have been able to have a bit more of a look inside but who thought they'd be working (and snoozing) on a Saturday.
      The glass tubes is a very innovative solution for the curved doorway. I've never heard of that anywhere else.

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