Wukang Road, which is located in Shanghai's Xuhui district, is home to various styles of landscape architecture, multi-family residential buildings, and modern-lane houses. Each building carries a rich cultural heritage deserving of appreciation.

A bird's-eye view of Wukang Road. [Photo/Wechat ID:shanghaifabu]

No 99 Wukang Road

Built in 1928, the building is a three-storey brick and wood structure designed in the style of a European country villa. Its steep red-tiled roof, towering red-brick chimneys and abundant red exposed timber structures reflect a distinct British design. The roof features both double-sloped and four-sloped hipped dormer windows with brick chimneys that are typical British style.

No 113 Wukang Road

The former residence of Ba Jin, one of China's most acclaimed writers, whose novels and short storeys achieved widespread popularity in the 1930s and 40s, is a three-storey European-style structure. The double-sloped roof tops fine pebble walls and green wooden windows. The overall architecture is simple and elegant.

In this home, Ba Jin created many works and has been visited by numerous Chinese and foreign writers and celebrities from all walks of life.

Midget Apartments

Midget Apartments, located at the intersection of Wukang and Hunan roads, has an imposing cement-brushed exterior with geometric coral accents. The triangular residential building is referred to by locals as “the elephant house”.

Ferguson Lane

Ferguson Lane is located at No 376 Wukang Road. The sign on the left side of the gate indicates that it houses more than 10 establishments including restaurants, hotels, beauty salons, clothing stores, flower shops, and galleries. Entering the small lane, there are two red brick buildings of different heights on the right that give the feeling of 1950s France.

No 393 Wukang Road

This building was partially built in 1912 in a Neoclassical style. It was later expanded in 1933, adopting the Art Deco style. The facade of the building features large volumes of exposed concrete blocks, which accentuate the light-coloured horizontal and vertical lines. There are also numerous reliefs and decorative motifs.

Currently, it serves as the Wukang Road Tourist Information Centre.

No 390 Wukang Road

The building was built in 1932 and is a typical Mediterranean-style garden villa with red tiles and white walls. It features simple and smooth lines, as well as numerous colonnades, corridors, and round arches, combining classical and romantic elements.

Various architecture is seen along Wukang Road. [Photo/Wechat ID:shanghaifabu]

There are many unknown old buildings and unheard stories on Wukang Road, scattered behind high walls and deep in the trees, waiting to be discovered.

Source: "shanghaifabu" WeChat account