It says 1931 in large numerals above one of the two main entrances to the Villas Hotel in Shanghai. The heritage plaque on the building is less definite. It says the building, a company building was built about the 1930s of reinforced concrete in modern style.
As you can see the hotel has a horizontal band of decoration between the ground floor and the first floor with vertical element in the centre.
And note the small concrete balconies with a wave motif.
Inside, the foyer is bright and airy leading to ...
... corridor with lifts to the upper floors and ...
... and perhaps some guest rooms.
Throughout the public areas on the ground floor there are exquisite lights and Art Deco details. Whether these are original, restored or new is difficult to tell.
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Throughout the public areas on the ground floor there are indeed heaps of gorgeous Art Deco floor patterns, lights, doors, pillars etc. The interior colours are very bold.
ReplyDeleteBut the top photo, of the Villas Hotel from across the road, does not look as well looked after or restored. Although horizontal band of decoration still has very fine 1930s definition.
I agree Helen. I didn't expect the interior to be as good as it was given the drab and somewhat unloved exterior. At least the kept the cables off that horizontal band. Perhaps it was just convent to drape the cables over the decoration rather than fix them to the building some other way.
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