Former site of the Belfran Building

Former site of the Belfran Building

The former site of the Belfran Building is a cultural heritage conservation unit of Tianjin.

The former site of the Belfran Building is located at No. 3 Jiefang North Road, Heping District. It is a cultural heritage conservation unit of Tianjin and classified as a key historical building under the city’s protection.

The Belfran Building was built in 1926 and designed by French engineer Mendelssohn from the Belgian firm Société Immobilière de Belgique. Originally, it was a comprehensive building integrating commercial, office, and apartment-style residential functions. After its completion, the Belfran Building served as a multi-purpose office structure in Tianjin’s former French Concession and was leased to British firms such as Brunner Mond & Co. and American companies like the Humber Motor Company. The name “Belfran” is a transliteration of the French name “BELFRAN,” which originates from the combination of the first three letters of the English word “Belgique” (referring to Belgium) and the first four letters of “France.” At the time, the owner of the Belfran Building belonged to a Belgian financial consortium directly controlled by France, with its headquarters located in Paris. Therefore, the building has deep connections with both Belgium and France.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Belfran Building served as the office building for the Tianjin Second Electronic Instrument Factory. During the Tangshan earthquake, the flagpole on the roof tower facing the Haihe River was damaged. In 2007, the Tianjin Municipal People’s Government carried out restoration work on the building. A full survey was conducted, historical blueprints and photographs were reviewed, and in accordance with the “Historical Architecture Conservation Guidelines,” the original design of the roof tower was reinstated.

The Belfran Building covers a land area of 3,020 square meters, with a construction area of 3,913 square meters and an overall height of 23.93 meters. It is a five-story reinforced concrete full-frame structure with partial basement levels, representing a Nordic-style building with Symbolist expressionist features. Both the building’s floor plan and façade are designed in the shape of a ship, with the east façade featuring a curved transition and the street-facing façade adopting a symmetrical design. The top of the building features a hipped-gable roof with setback eaves, and the dormer windows on the roof merge with five curved wall surfaces to form a raised triangular pediment. At various heights ranging from 1 to 10 meters above the roof ridge, multiple metal rods of varying lengths are installed, topped with glittering metal stars. These rods serve both as lightning rods and decorative elements.

On January 5, 2013, the Tianjin Municipal People’s Government designated it as part of the fourth batch of Tianjin Cultural Heritage Conservation Units.

Source: Heping District Culture and Tourism Bureau

Further reading:

· Fourth Batch of Tianjin Cultural Heritage Conservation Units