Yao Family Residence on Huaiyin Road

Yao Family Residence on Huaiyin Road

The Yao Family Residence on Huaiyin Road is a protected cultural heritage site of Shanghai.

Yao Family Residence on Huaiyin Road

Located at what was originally No. 200 Huaiyin Road, after the liberation it was incorporated into the Western Suburbs Guesthouse at No. 1921 Hongqiao Road, also known as the Purple Bamboo Building. This residence was designed in 1936 and completed in 1946, taking a full ten years from design to completion. It was formerly the old residence of Yao Naichi, son of Yao Xizhou, who was the owner of China’s largest cement factory at the time, and was then called the Yao Family Garden Residence.

Covering an area of about 7 hectares with a building area of just over 930 square meters, it’s clear how expansive the garden is. The overall design organizes the layout according to the undulating terrain, with the entire site landscaped and covered in lawns. This villa is a highly modern-style building for its time in Shanghai, heavily influenced by the American modern architectural master Frank Lloyd Wright. It adopts the principle of “flowing space” from Western modern architecture, emphasizing the freedom of floor plans and the flexibility of space. The main building is constructed on uneven terrain, with the semi-basement housing the hall and dining room. The hall features a double-height ceiling, and upon entering from the foyer, visitors can either take the open staircase upstairs or access the adjacent large dining room. The hall includes a small movie screen and a dedicated toilet. The kitchen and maids’ quarters are located in the east-west auxiliary buildings, connected by corridors. The second floor is arranged around a central living room, with one wall featuring a fireplace built from rough stones, giving the impression of being deep in a mountain forest; the south side has a large glass canopy and a cantilevered balcony, while the east and west sides contain living rooms and bedrooms. No. 1921 Hongqiao Road (Building 4, Shanghai Western Suburbs Guesthouse)

The Yao Family Residence on Huaiyin Road is listed as part of the fifth batch of protected cultural heritage sites of Shanghai.