in with the new. Or at least this is how it’s done in China. Indeed, all too often, and particularly in Shanghai, due to the Expo and for reasons of development and growth, the small Shanghainese town houses are being destroyed and replaced by ugly, monotonous skyscrapers.
Thankfully it has been recognized that the old Art Deco villas in the French Concession should be renovated rather than torn down, to protect their beauty and their historical significance. But unfortunately, a whole district made up of old Shanghai tow houses that I used to wander through when going to the antique market has now disappeared. Over the last 2.5 years, slowly but surely, I have seen how all the lane houses were destroyed and replaced by ugly fencing and potentially a new skyscraper … enormously ugly and very unromantic.
And so last weekend, when I was in Shanghai, I felt very privileged when, whilst nosing around in another old part of town, a Shanghainese person offered to show me around their old town house. You must remember that these were built as communal dwellings, often housing up to 8 families. So, the entrance leads straight into a kitchen area, where there are 6 – 8 woks or stoves … one for each family. Each has their own gas meter and tap, so that now confusion arises over who has used how much of each. Toilets are also communal and usually at the end of a lane – sporting a loo and a wash basin. The first and second floors are usually the bedrooms … I didn’t really want to intrude, so have no picture of these, but the entrance, kitchen and stairwell speak volumes, I think.
Now you might think that this is terribly grubby and in no way inhabitable and indeed it’s astonishing to see how people here used to live and still do … on a very small space, in a community of many families and with very little privacy. But then again, this is part of history, part of a Shanghai not too long ago and it has charm and something interesting about it that you would never really find in a modern building – particularly as they are often without any soul whatsoever. And I guess that’s why I like the place so much – because it is real and honest. And that’s why Shanghai is so great, because despite the fact that so many of these places have been destroyed, some people see them as opportunities to preserve history and realise that simply by renovating some of the more grotty houses they can create a rather special and unique style that only Shanghai has … bursting with individuality and flair.
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