| The buildings on the Bund are the concentrated reflection of city spirit and architecture character of modern Shanghai. With the odd figure which combines the east and the west culture and the flexuous construction process, the Bank of China Building on the bund becomes the best case to study the contest between the east and the west culture of modern Shanghai. From the view of urban anthropology, by searching for historical data and analyzing political and economic background, this thesis conducts a study on the design and construction process of Bank of China Building.Firstly, the thesis briefly introduces the building's owner------the Bank of Chinaand the building's design and construction process, and then briefly reviews the preservation project of the building. By summarizing all of the information, the thesis concludes two questions which are still disputed in understanding the building: Who made the original concept design of Bank of China Building? Is the fact that the Bank of China Building is lower than Sassoon Building is the result of Sassoon's intervention? After the questions are put forward, the thesis analyzes the style of the existing building and introduces the characteristics and the evolvement of the style of this kind which is named "Chinese Deco", and typical buildings of "Chinese Deco" are also investigated.Secondly, the thesis analyzes the 3 times changes of the concept design of the building and explores the causes that result in them . The direct cause is the change of the design group and fundamental cause is the change of the social, political and economic situation that the Bank of China was facing at that time. Based on the analysis of the causes, the thesis replies to the two questions that are brought forwardin the first part. Among the analysis, one important thing------the influence of therestructuring of the Bank of China on the building's construction is mentioned and the life and works of the architect of the building------Luke Him-sau are investigated.Finally, in the concluding part of the thesis, the particular value of the Bank of China Building on urban anthropology study is put forward. And by comparing the Bank of China Building with other historical buildings on the bund, the thesis explores the strategies of the preservation of the Bank of China Building. |
