The beauty of Dalian architecture
Located at the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, Dalian is the hub of marine traffic in northern China, and therefore has critical economic and military importance due to its strategic geographical location. In 1898, Dalian became a Czarist-Russian concession and henceforth began its journey as a modernized colonial city. In 1905, Japan invaded and occupied Dalian, speeding up the process of colonizing the city all the way up to the end of the WWII in 1945.
The architectural development of Dalian can be divided into three phases. In the earliest phase, the Czarist-Russian regime established the basic structure and layout of the city according to the Russian city structure of central squares with avenues radiating outwards, thus creating a city reflecting Russian and European as well as eclectic architectural styles of the 19th century. For example, the Port Hotel built beside Kiev Street was almost the same as some Russian buildings of the late 19th century in terms of images and treatment methods.
At the same time, Russian folk architecture of wooden structures also appeared in Dalian, with the building of intricate little wooden houses topped with green-colored turrets, covered with feather-shaped tiles.
An example of the eclectic style of architecture was the business school set up during that era, which incorporated the mountain flower motifs of Greece and Roman colonnades.
The Japanese regime continued to build upon the foundation of the Russian regime's urban planning scheme, replicating European and US classical architectural designs for buildings to spruce up the Large Square and hasten urban development.
About the book
Chinese Architecture Written by Cai Yanxin Published by China Intercontinental Press, Beijing, 2018
Located at the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, Dalian is the hub of marine traffic in northern China, and therefore has critical economic and military importance due to its strategic geographical location. In 1898, Dalian became a Czarist-Russian concession and henceforth began its journey as a modernized colonial city. In 1905, Japan invaded and occupied Dalian, speeding up the process of colonizing the city all the way up to the end of the WWII in 1945.
The architectural development of Dalian can be divided into three phases. In the earliest phase, the Czarist-Russian regime established the basic structure and layout of the city according to the Russian city structure of central squares with avenues radiating outwards, thus creating a city reflecting Russian and European as well as eclectic architectural styles of the 19th century. For example, the Port Hotel built beside Kiev Street was almost the same as some Russian buildings of the late 19th century in terms of images and treatment methods.
At the same time, Russian folk architecture of wooden structures also appeared in Dalian, with the building of intricate little wooden houses topped with green-colored turrets, covered with feather-shaped tiles.
An example of the eclectic style of architecture was the business school set up during that era, which incorporated the mountain flower motifs of Greece and Roman colonnades.
The Japanese regime continued to build upon the foundation of the Russian regime's urban planning scheme, replicating European and US classical architectural designs for buildings to spruce up the Large Square and hasten urban development.
About the book
Chinese Architecture Written by Cai Yanxin Published by China Intercontinental Press, Beijing, 2018
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