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Historic buildings get commercial facelift
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THE weather has been chilly for weeks, and, with fewer tourists willing to brace the cold, wandering the paths and walkways around Hangzhou’s West Lake or the Grand Canal seems more enjoyable than ever.
With fewer heads blocking the view, it’s easier to focus on the beauty of the environment and the architecture.
West Lake is not only famous for its clear water — other cities have pretty lakes, too — but also for the historic buildings around it, which were built during several dynasties and are emblematic of each era’s style and aesthetics.
The architecture on the banks of the Grand Canal, the longest canal in the world, also showcases local lifestyles and stories and are worthy of being explored.
Shanghai Daily visits two newly opened attraction in century-old buildings.
Bernini Art Space
Dozens of houses on Nanshan Road were built in the early 20th century and late 19th century. No. 206 on Nanshan Road was the former residence of Mao Yisheng, structural engineer and expert on bridge construction.
In the two-floor villa that features a balcony and a garden facing the West Lake, Mao drew the sketches for the Qiantang River Bridge.
Today, the building is home to Bernini Art Space. Its predecessor, a restaurant and pub with Italian food, had to be closed — the dishes, the operator said, were “too authentic” for local taste at the time. The space was now reopened by Zhu Boqiang, the Italian restaurant operator’s son-in-law.
Zhu replaced vintage sofas and cane tables with industrial-style steel and wooden tables and chairs — all custom-made. The old building’s brick walls, stone pillars and wood beams are retained.
The space is split into several areas, creating a cafe, a restaurant, a flower store, a bar, and a gallery. Zhu contracted an art agency which will change the exhibitions regularly. “Combining the old and the new is the theme, and the challenge,” says the interior designer Matthew Lemar from the UK.
The background music is selected by a French musician who varies his music choice based on the weather, time and number of guests.
European fusion by Spanish chef Carlos Estevez, who has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants for more than 10 years, elevates Bernini Art Space to one of the city’s top Western restaurants.
The Bernini Pizza, made of squid ink dough and topped with seafood and mozzarella cheese, is thin and crispy, and the topping is juicy and well-balanced.
Chef Estevez also came up with new dishes. The salad with codfish, escarole, lime, pomegranate is strongly recommend.
Other picks include goose liver, salmon pizza, fettuccine with Boston lobster, and grilled tuna.
Address: 206 Nanshan Rd
Che’fle Canal Hangzhou Hotel
Grand Canal, the world’s longest canal, starts in Beijing and ends in Hangzhou, where old buildings dot the riverbanks.
In Hangzhou, warehouses were mostly used to store rice and silk. Last year, 11 old warehouses were turned into Che’fle Canal Hangzhou Hotel, a five-star luxury boutique hotel.
Linked by a glass roof, the 11 historical buildings are a mix of old and new and form a brilliant architectural synthesis.
“These warehouses were high and spacious, but quite cold and windy,” recalls Zhao Songying, a retired worker of the silk company, and a guest at the hotel. “I can still see the shape of the space, but now it is really a warm and friendly place.”
The warehouses’ structures are maintained but new outer walls were added to reinforce the old ones. Design elements incorporate classical Chinese motifs aesthetically blended with contemporary elements.
Its Sibo Lobby Lounge and conference rooms are a reference to silk culture, using the fabric for much of the decoration. The hotel’s culture center is large enough to house weddings, flea markets, and BBQs.
The Buddha Bar and Han Gong Restaurant offer Asian-themed tapas, entrees, dishes and desserts, with Chinese tea and alcohol, and the hotel’s swimming pool is the city’s only salt water pool.
Address: 7 Lishui Rd
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