Architectural Classics Along the Suzhou River: Adaptive Reuse of Former Warehouse Sites
分类： News Updates
发布时间：2023-07-03 14:11
Project Information
Original name: No. 127 Guangfu Road (Guangsan Warehouse), formerly known as the “North Four Banks.”
Protection Category: Category III (Fifth Batch of Outstanding Historical Buildings in Shanghai)
Architectural Style: Modern-Style Warehouse
Year of Construction: Built in 1931
Gross floor area: 4,637 square meters
Structural system: frame structure
Design Institute: Shanghai Municipal Housing Architectural Design Institute Co., Ltd.
Construction Contractor: Shanghai Municipal Construction & Decoration Engineering Group Co., Ltd.
Completion Date: 2020
Next to the popular landmark “Sihang Warehouse” stands a building that is often overlooked: No. 127 Guangfu Road, also known as “Guangsan Warehouse,” formerly referred to as the “North Four Banks.” It is one of Shanghai’s many industrial heritage sites. Originally it served as the vaults and warehouses for the Fukang and Fuyuan money changers; later, it became the joint warehouse for the Jincheng Bank, the Central South Bank, the Continental Bank, and the Salt Industry Bank. Built in 1931, the three-story structure combines brick, wood, and rammed-earth construction, with a total floor area of 4,637 square meters. Today it functions as the “Guangsan Branch” of the Sihang Warehouse, with the ground floor once housing a market for cultural and educational supplies. The judicious repurposing of such buildings is key to the adaptive reuse of industrial heritage, and the restored Guangsan Warehouse exemplifies the distinctive character of industrial relics, offering valuable insights into their historical and architectural significance.
Exterior of No. 127 Guangfu Road after restoration Exterior of No. 127 Guangfu Road after restoration Riverside Memorial Wall
Historical Evolution
No. 127 Guangfu Road (Guangsan Warehouse), formerly known as the “North Four Banks,” was originally the site of the Fukang and Fuyuan money changers and warehouses, later serving as a joint storage facility for the Jincheng Bank, Central-South Bank, Continental Bank, and Salt Industry Bank. Built in 1931, it was designated in 2015 as a third-class Outstanding Historical Building in the fifth batch of Shanghai’s protected heritage sites. The building features a three-story frame structure, with its red walls and white columns lending the exterior an exceptionally elegant appearance. Its total floor area is 4,637 square meters. Today, it is known as the “Guangsan Warehouse” of the Sihang Warehouse; the ground floor once housed a market for cultural and educational supplies but has since been renovated and closed. Following completion of restoration work, the building will be repurposed as a comprehensive commercial office complex, ensuring its continued effective use.
The Guangsan Branch Library in the 1930s after the war The Guangsan Branch Library in the 1990s Before the renovation of the Guangsan Branch Library
According to the drawings and documentation provided by the property owner, No. 127 Guangfu Road underwent multiple renovations in 1967, 1990, and 1992.
No historical drawings were found for this project. Based on on-site investigation, analysis of the 1947 edition of the address map, and field inspections, No. 127 Guangfu Road has remained largely unchanged overall. The original building was constructed in 1931; according to the on-site survey, the structure was developed in phases, with the seven bays on the east side built earlier and the four bays on the west side built later, though the overall completion dates were relatively close. In 1967, two elevators were added internally to meet the needs of factory and warehouse operations. In 1990, a 225-square-meter office building and elevator machine room were added on the fourth floor. In 1992, an additional 171 square meters of space was constructed on the west side of the fourth floor.
Architectural style
Rendering of the Renovation at No. 127 Guangfu Road
The original design features a main entrance and exit on the south side, with a stairwell corridor serving as the primary circulation space; storage areas are arranged in staggered levels on either side, connected in a north–south direction, resulting in an efficient and well-organized layout. To accommodate the distinct functional requirements of circulation and storage, the structure adopts a beam–column frame system, reflecting the principles of modern architectural functionalism. The building plan is roughly trapezoidal, with a curved south elevation; a north–south expansion joint is located near the western center of the building, dividing it into eastern and western structural units. Each unit is provided with one staircase, while the western unit also includes an elevator. The exterior walls and interior partition walls are primarily constructed using sintered common bricks.
The warehouse’s façade is designed in a modernist architectural style, with restrained Art Deco detailing in certain areas. The red walls and white columns are complemented by long, horizontal ribbon windows between the columns, embodying the quintessential aesthetic of industrial warehouse architecture.
Renovated façade along the Suzhou River at No. 127 Guangfu Road
Design Concept: No. 127 Guangfu Road is classified as a Category III protected building under the Regulations of Shanghai Municipality on the Protection of Historic Districts and Outstanding Historical Buildings, which stipulate that the building’s façade and structural system shall remain unchanged, while interior alterations are permitted. According to the protection notice, the south and north façades are designated as key exterior elements requiring prioritized protection, whereas the entrance hall, stairwell, black-painted warehouse doors on each floor, metal window and door components, and other original decorative features are identified as key interior elements for preservation. The design seeks to preserve, to the greatest extent possible, the building’s original materials and components, as well as the historical, cultural, and social information embedded in them, thereby ensuring the highest degree of authenticity and clarity of interpretation. At the same time, while safeguarding the authenticity and integrity of the historic building itself, the design also fully accommodates the diverse functional requirements of a future modern, multi-use commercial and office complex.
Preserved Elements of Architectural Value
| (1) Repair of exposed concrete facade Original condition: red-brick exterior walls, with cement plastering on the beam and column areas, creating a rhythmic facade articulation; the exterior windows are long, tall steel-framed sash windows finished in black paint, with a rhythmically arranged window grid; cast-iron ventilation openings are evenly distributed. Repair requirements: cleaning and restoration of the red-brick exterior wall; repointing of the exterior wall joints; cleaning and restoration of the cement plaster finish; repair and restoration of exterior windows; repair of ventilation openings; and repair of rainwater downspouts. |
(2) Stairwell Renovation The balustrades in the stairwell are original features that have been preserved; however, they do not comply with current design codes and must be raised and fitted with additional horizontal rails to ensure safe use. Welding to secure the horizontal rails would damage the existing balustrades, so it was ultimately decided to use clamp brackets instead, thereby avoiding any harm to the original railings. |
(3) Interior iron doors The iron gate of the original warehouse, left behind inside No. 127 Guangfu Road, holds certain historical value. No. 127 Guangfu Road (the Third Storage Facility of the Sihang Warehouse) is separated from the Sihang Warehouse—where 800 soldiers once fought fiercely with blood and courage—only by Jinyuan Road. In the past, the two served as a joint storage facility for the Jincheng Bank, Central South Bank, Continental Bank, and Salt Industry Bank. Consequently, during the restoration of the Sihang Warehouse, since no authentic historical artifacts were available for reference, the entrance iron gate was reconstructed based on the warehouse gate at No. 127 Guangfu Road (the Northern Sihang). In this restoration project, these iron doors have been given priority protection: they have been cleaned and coated with a protective agent, while the door numbers and inscriptions on the cement door surrounds have been preserved. These preserved traces bear witness to the building’s history as the “Guang San Fen Warehouse” of the Four Banks Warehouse. |
(4) Steel Windows The original steel windows on the first to third floors of No. 127 Guangfu Road have been preserved, with only a small number having been replaced with PVC–steel windows or completely removed and sealed. This restoration project restores the steel windows to their original appearance through rust removal, straightening, and replacement of window components. |
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Restoration Achievements
△ Plaque for an Outstanding Historic Building △ Exterior Iron Gate After Restoration △ Feature Wall Constructed Using Recycled Bricks from This Building
△ North facade after restoration △ West facade after restoration △ Interior warehouse after restoration
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