Normandie Apartment | Blue Lapis Road

FORMER FRENCH CONCESSION, Shanghai, China

From 1849 to 1943, the area that encompassed today’s Xuhui District and the western part of Huangpu District was under the French control known as the French Concession. Large number of western buildings survive till today, and has since then become some of the most prestige residential neighborhoods and entertainment areas of contemporary Shanghai.

In the morning, we were to meet our friend near Xintiandi (新天地). We arrived a little earlier than planned, thus had a little bit of time to wander around Xintiandi and its nearby alleyways of shikumen (石庫門) residences. Known as lilongs (里弄), these alleyway communities once dominated the majority of residential neighborhoods in the city. Shikumen was a common type of terrace houses cladded in brick veneer over combustible timber structures. In 2001, one of the most famous restored shikumen neighborhood in the Former French Concession opened its doors as a new lifestyle and entertainment destination in Shanghai. Known as Xintiandi (New World), this adaptive reuse project offered new life to old neighborhoods not only in Shanghai, but also other Chinese cities.

After a short walk in Xintiandi, we met up with our friend. Our friend took us for a quick detour to the newly built SOHO Fuxing Lu mixuse development to check out a cool lift lobby of a commercial building. Then our friend led us to one of his favorite noodle soup. We ordered two bowls of noodles: yellow fish and deep fried pork chops. After the tasty breakfast, we continued our tour of the Former French Concession.

Next we arrived at Normandie Apartment or Wukang Mansion (武康大樓) at Wukang Road, a French Renaissance style building at a street corner similar to New York’s Flatiron Building. Home to many Shanghainese celebrities, Normandie Apartment was designed by Hungarian-Slovak architect László Hudec, a renowned architect who lived in Shanghai from 1918 to 1945. Inspired by the WWI battleship Normandie, the architectural form of the building resembles a ship. The project was completed in 1924.

We continued our walk along Wukang Road to Ferguson Lane, an upscale leisure destination with shops, cafes, restaurants and galleries along alleyways and courtyards flanked by Art Deco buildings. A long queue was lining up for what looked like a decent restaurant for bunch. Equally popular was the French bakery where an irresistible smell of bread spread allover the leafy courtyards of Ferguson Lane.

Our morning stroll in the lilong alleyways near Xintiandi.

It was early morning when we arrived at Xintiandi. Most stores had yet to open their doors. We loved the tranquility of the street. The leafless trees along both sides of the road blended harmoniously with the building facades.

Beautiful shikumen building facades along the street at Xintiandi.

Gelato shop at Shanghai Xintiandi.

The peaceful and delightful mood blanketed the entire Xintiandi in the morning, before the arrival of tour groups.

Some buildings in Xintiandi serve as backdrop for tourist photos.

Outdoor seating at Xintiandi.

Our friend took us to a newly built office building at SOHO Fuxing Lu near Xintiandi to check out a cyber looking lift lobby design which has been published in design magazines.