From the Shanghai Gymnasium to the upper arena; from Shanghai's first workers' village "Caoyang New Village" to Caoxi high-rise residences; from the financial street to the Bund landscape; from the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Library, Shanghai Science and Technology Museum to Shanghai Planetarium; from shanghai public health service center to Shanghai light source "Nautilus"... One by one, the excellent architectural works outline the moving outline of urban development and convey the spirit and charm of Shanghai.
Architecture is readable, architecture has a temperature, and it is architects who ignite their souls with their efforts and wisdom. Behind these landmark buildings stands a common name: Huajian Group Shanghai Architectural Design and Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as "Shanghai Institute"). Yesterday, the premiere ceremony of the corporate culture documentary of Huajian Group Shanghai Architectural Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd. and the release ceremony of the new book were held in the East Library of Shanghai Library, which unveiled the prologue to the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Shanghai Academy.
It can be said that the Shanghai Institute, founded in January 1953, has witnessed the development history of new China at the same time, and has devoted itself to the construction of reform and opening up with great enthusiasm, leaving the imprint of the development of the times. This nearly half-hour documentary looks back at the urban construction process of Shanghai, explores the close connection between the Shanghai Institute and the development of Shanghai, inherits the craftsman spirit of the designers, and highlights the spirit of the city and the character of the city. "Jian Chu Xin • Building People's Livelihood" was broadcast on the Documentary Channel today.
"In 1962, when I graduated and entered the Civil Design Institute, Mr. Chen Zhi, a master architect, told me that we are people's architects and designed for the people, which has become my lifelong ambition and enthusiasm." The famous architectural designer Xing Tonghe is a witness to the golden 40 years of urban construction in Shanghai and a deep participant.
Huashan Hospital was the second design task he received when he first entered the unit. "At that time, I lacked construction knowledge, and I asked for a month and a half to live with the workers at the construction site, live in the shed, and eat and live with the workers." Xing Tonghe said that after experiencing this, he knew what a people's architect was, what he should want to write and do.
In the past 60 years, He has presided over and designed more than 300 projects. The Shanghai Museum, the Bund Scenic Belt, the Shanghai Longhua Martyrs Cemetery, and the Memorial Hall of the First Congress of the Communist Party of China are all designed by him, from the city center to the suburbs, and the works are all in Shanghai. Xing Tonghe, who is now in his 80s, is still active on the architectural stage. "The root of Shanghai is in culture, without culture there is no soul, the sea is full of rivers, ancient and modern, to maintain such a style."
He publishes a collection of works every ten years, and now it is in its fourth. "These two books contain the main works that I have designed from 2009 to 2021, that is, in my 70s and 80s, and two-thirds of them are in Shanghai." Xing Tonghe said that at the premiere ceremony, "Xing Tonghe Original Sketch 丨 Planning Collection", "Xing Tonghe Original Sketch 丨 Architectural Collection" and Chen Guoliang, chief architect of Shanghai Architectural Design and Research Institute of Huajian Group, unveiled three new books at the same time.
The Shanghai Institute participated in and witnessed the development of Shanghai's cities from waste to rapid development, and undertook a large number of national economy and people's livelihood projects. During the SARS period, the Shanghai Public Health Center, designed and built by the Shanghai Hospital, created a miracle of building a world-class medical center in only one year, and built a healthy fortress for the people of Shanghai.
The birth of Shanghai Light Source has laid the foundation for Shanghai's position as a scientific and technological innovation center in the country and even the world, and today, scientists from all over the world come to the "Nautilus" to do experiments. But it overcame quite a few technical obstacles in its construction. "The scientific installations in many countries have reservations about some of our technologies, so we scientists have to embark on a path of our own originality, which is completely an exploration," said Chen Guoliang, chief architect of the Shanghai Institute.
The main entrance to the Shanghai Planetarium is a large overhanging steel structure with a total of 2,000 tons, a span of 61 meters, and a provocation of 36 meters. "At that time, even the main creative designer Thomas found it difficult to achieve, and he had already offered to say, no, just add a pillar in the middle." Xin Ge, deputy director of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum and commander-in-chief of the Shanghai Planetarium Construction Headquarters, said. However, Li Yaming, chief engineer of the Shanghai Institute, had a very resolute attitude, "How can this work!" This must be solvable," Li Yaming tackled the problem.
In the past 70 years, from civil design to industrial design, from architectural design to municipal design, from residential design to commercial design, from domestic projects to foreign aid projects, from self-research and development to learn from foreign advanced technology, generations of Shanghai architects have learned and precipitated through practice, summarized and innovated.
The Shanghai Library was built in 1996 and has now become an important symbol of the fragrance of books in Shanghai, allowing the beautiful quality of reading to enter thousands of households. "We want this library to reflect the temperament of the city of Shanghai, and the details determine success," said Tang Yuen, a senior chief architect, "Sometimes we look at a very simple modern building, but when you get close to it, you find that its details are very appropriate and exquisite, in fact, this is the refinement of modern architecture."
"30 years ago, we already had a large lecture hall with more than 700 seats, exhibition halls, conference rooms of different sizes, and activity rooms, and it was Mr. Tang who saw the trend and future of the library with us." Chen Chao, director of the Shanghai Library, said that the Shanghai Library (this building) is the most important collection of the library.
"Whether it is finance, sports, culture, civil, medical or technological, architecture is closely related to the well-being of the people," said Yao Jun, party secretary and chairman of the Shanghai Academy.
Photo from: Documentary "Jian Chu Xin • Building People's Livelihood"
《Xing Tonghe Original Sketch 丨 Planning Collection》》Xing Tonghe Original Sketch 丨 Architectural Collection》
Live photography
Author: Tong Weijing
Edit: Jiang Fang
Editor-in-Charge: Xueying Wang
*Wenhui exclusive manuscript, please indicate the source when reprinting.