Brief introduction
Shikumen, which literally means “stone gate”, is the unique housing style in Shanghai, representing the fusion of the eastern and western cultures代表着东西方文化的融合. It was once very popular in the 1930s.
Xintiandi
Xintiandi is operated for both commercial and cultural purposes. It consists of the North and the South Blocks on the two sides of Xingye Road, where the site of the First Congress Hall of CCP is located. In the South Block, modern architecture is the motif[məʊ'tiːf]主旨 while Shikumen is an accompaniment伴随物. In the North Block, the well-preserved Shikumen sets a splendid contrast with对比 the modernity of the South Block. This two-block entertainment is stuffed with塞满了 modern restaurants, clubs, cafes and boutiques专卖店 in a delightful maze纵横交错 of cobbled铺有鹅卵石的 streets. The modern facilities are accessorized with old bricks, stone gates and ornately carved wooden balconies from the dense old courtyard houses密集的老四合院 that previously filled those blocks.
The Shikumen houses are two-or three-story townhouses联排别墅/联体别墅/连体别墅, with the front yard protected by a high brick wall. A distinctive feature of this architecture这种体系结构的一个突出特点 is a pair of black wooden doors framed by heavy stone, with an extravagant [ɪk'strævəg(ə)nt] 奢侈的/挥霍的 bronze handle on each of the doors. The lintel ['lɪnt(ə)l] 过梁 above the doors is often decorated with stone carving in the Baroque style巴洛克风格/巴洛克式. This gate provides residents with a sense of status and security. Behind the gate is a courtyard ['kɔːtjɑːd] 庭院/院子/天井/中庭, and further inside更深处 is a living room with two wing rooms, one on either side一只一边. In the back part of the living room are two flights of stairs leading to the upper floor. Behind the stairs are the kitchen and a back door. The layout of the second floor is similar to the one below. The space above the kitchen was used as a loft阁楼/顶楼 with a flat roof.
Brief introduction
Shikumen, which literally means “stone gate”, is the unique housing style in Shanghai, representing the fusion of the eastern and western cultures代表着东西方文化的融合. It was once very popular in the 1930s.
For example, Xintiandi, literally meaning “new heaven and earth”, is a brilliant example of this effort. It is not only China’s finest historical redevelopment project, but also a model for Asia. A twoblock neighborhood, south of the People’s Square.
Brief introduction
The Shikumen-style houses form形成/构成/组成 the basis of the “Li Long” (lane[leɪn]小巷) community where private spheres and public spaces私人领域和 公共空间 overlapped重叠. The courtyard provides an “ interior haven室内/内部的 港口/避难所/安息所” where the occupants 居住者/购买者/租赁人 could grow vegetation植被 /植物/草木 and enjoy the rain and the sunshine without going out. The courtyard also allows [ə'laʊs] adequate ['æ dɪkwət] 充足的/适当的/胜任的 ventilation [,ventɪ'leɪʃ(ə)n]通风设备/空气流通 into the rooms. In this community, everyone knows everyone else’s business. As the density of the community rose, some family activities were often moved to public spaces. During the time of turbulence ['tɜːbjʊl(ə)ns]骚乱/动荡, the common wall, the courtyard and the attached houses enhanced [ɪn'hɑːnst]提高；加强 interaction among neighbors and gave the residents a sense of security and belonging. By world War II, Shikumen houses had accommodated more than 80% of the population in the city.
Xintiandi
Shikumen houses are monuments of Shanghai’s past and deserve to be preserved. While many of them are erased to被抹去 make way for glittering['glɪtərɪŋ] skyscrapers, some of them are well preserved and converted for various purposes.
The Shikumen houses are two-or three-story townhouses联排别墅/联体别墅/连体别墅, with the front yard protected by a high brick wall. A distinctive feature of this architecture这种体系结构的一个突出特点 is a pair of black wooden doors framed by heavy stone, with an extravagant [ɪk'strævəg(ə)nt] 奢侈的/挥霍的 bronze handle on each of the doors. The lintel ['lɪnt(ə)l] 过梁 above the doors is often decorated with stone carving in the Baroque style巴洛克风格/巴洛克式. This gate provides residents with a sense of status and security. Behind the gate is a courtyard ['kɔːtjɑːd] 庭院/院子/天井/中庭, and further inside更深处 is a living room with two wing rooms, one on either side一只一边. In the back part of the living room are two flights of stairs leading to the upper floor. Behind the stairs are the kitchen and a back door. The layout of the second floor is similar to the one below. The space above the kitchen was used as a loft阁楼/顶楼 with a flat roof.