Building Shanghai’s Dreamworld: Architects and Elite Ballroom Designs of the 1920s and 1930s

Abstract Using historical records from the period including newspapers and architectural journals, this paper examines seven ballrooms built in Shanghai between the 1920s and 1930s. These ballrooms were all designed by leading architects and reflect their ambitions and visions in creating fantastica...

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Main Author: Andrew Field
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2019-09-01
Series:Built Heritage
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/BF03545742
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author Andrew Field
author_facet Andrew Field
author_sort Andrew Field
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Using historical records from the period including newspapers and architectural journals, this paper examines seven ballrooms built in Shanghai between the 1920s and 1930s. These ballrooms were all designed by leading architects and reflect their ambitions and visions in creating fantastical spaces for the city’s elites to celebrate their status while socializing with other members of high society. Their technological features include sprung dance floors, sophisticated lighting schemes, and other technical wizardry to enhance the experience of dancing and being entertained. One ballroom was in the style of a traditional Chinese palace, highlighting the connection to earlier forms of culture in China. Today most of these ballrooms still exist and many of their original features are still intact, although the dancing has been superseded by other activities such as wedding banquets, conferences, and even the stock exchange.
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spelling doaj.art-e0fdb03612da4d79a62ae0c6547fc2242022-12-21T23:57:08ZengSpringerOpenBuilt Heritage2096-30412662-68022019-09-0133344810.1186/BF03545742Building Shanghai’s Dreamworld: Architects and Elite Ballroom Designs of the 1920s and 1930sAndrew Field0Kunshan Duke UniversityAbstract Using historical records from the period including newspapers and architectural journals, this paper examines seven ballrooms built in Shanghai between the 1920s and 1930s. These ballrooms were all designed by leading architects and reflect their ambitions and visions in creating fantastical spaces for the city’s elites to celebrate their status while socializing with other members of high society. Their technological features include sprung dance floors, sophisticated lighting schemes, and other technical wizardry to enhance the experience of dancing and being entertained. One ballroom was in the style of a traditional Chinese palace, highlighting the connection to earlier forms of culture in China. Today most of these ballrooms still exist and many of their original features are still intact, although the dancing has been superseded by other activities such as wedding banquets, conferences, and even the stock exchange.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/BF03545742China entertainment culturearchitectureurban designShanghai interwar ballroomsdancing society
spellingShingle Andrew Field
Building Shanghai’s Dreamworld: Architects and Elite Ballroom Designs of the 1920s and 1930s
Built Heritage
China entertainment culture
architecture
urban design
Shanghai interwar ballrooms
dancing society
title Building Shanghai’s Dreamworld: Architects and Elite Ballroom Designs of the 1920s and 1930s
title_full Building Shanghai’s Dreamworld: Architects and Elite Ballroom Designs of the 1920s and 1930s
title_fullStr Building Shanghai’s Dreamworld: Architects and Elite Ballroom Designs of the 1920s and 1930s
title_full_unstemmed Building Shanghai’s Dreamworld: Architects and Elite Ballroom Designs of the 1920s and 1930s
title_short Building Shanghai’s Dreamworld: Architects and Elite Ballroom Designs of the 1920s and 1930s
title_sort building shanghai s dreamworld architects and elite ballroom designs of the 1920s and 1930s
topic China entertainment culture
architecture
urban design
Shanghai interwar ballrooms
dancing society
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/BF03545742
work_keys_str_mv AT andrewfield buildingshanghaisdreamworldarchitectsandeliteballroomdesignsofthe1920sand1930s