Airplane Building

Airplane Building

The Airplane Building is a protected cultural heritage site of Shanghai.

Airplane Building

In 1935, the Aviation Association founded in Shanghai sought to expand its operations and strengthen its foundation. To this end, it acquired a 10-mu plot of land adjacent to the then city center (now Wujiaochang) and near the museum (today’s Second Military Medical University), currently within the grounds of Changhai Hospital, to construct a clubhouse and exhibition hall. The association raised 100,000 yuan from private donations and commissioned famed architect Dong Dayou to design it. Built by Jiutai Jinji Construction, it was conceived as an airplane building resembling a biplane soaring through the skies of the 1930s.

The structure of the Airplane Building is divided into two parts. The first part consists of the nose and front wings, totaling three stories in height. The ground floor of the nose serves as a reception room, and a spiral staircase leads up to the top floor. The top floor is a memorial hall, built with a circular wall inlaid with black marble. At its center is a ring-shaped area housing three altars. The central altar is embedded with a piece of blue glass, through which sunlight shines directly into the hall—this is known as the “Imperial Vault of Heaven.” Ascending further leads to the “Circular Mound Altar,” constructed of white stone. The altar has three tiers and three enclosures, with the number of stones in each section increasing or decreasing according to the number “nine,” earning it the title “Little Temple of Heaven”—a fitting accolade. The first and second floors of the front wings house the aviation exhibition hall and aviation library. The second part consists of the fuselage and tail, spanning two floors, primarily used as offices for the Aviation Association. Passing through the cabin corridor leads to the two-story-high tail, which bears the inscription “Chinese Aviation Association,” reflecting its historical significance.

In 2004, the Airplane Building was designated as a district-level cultural heritage protection unit. In 2014, it was listed as a municipal-level cultural heritage protection unit.