US merchant’s Country H
fourth floors are treated with a unified approach. The fifth floor and the parapet are designed as three imposing pediments and make a powerful impression on visitors.
The most striking part of this hospital is the reception lobby, which in no way looks like a hospital’s ground floor. It’s more like a stylish hotel lobby, quiet and elegant. Hudec made extensive use of imported black, white and gray marbles on classical columns, the large staircase and flooring. The patterned wooden ceiling makes an interesting textural contrast with the smooth marble as sunlight pours into the lobby from a row of French windows.
“Hudec created a bright and open lobby for the hospital, which totally changed the usual cold, dim decor of a hospital,” said Hua, noting the Country Hospital was widely reported by Chinese and international media at the time for its scale and advanced facilities.
The old Shanghai Sunday Times newspaper wrote: “The rural, restful early Italian Renaissance effect reminds visitors of the courtyard and rooms of a villa in Tuscany.”
It was also the only hospital outside US territory to be discussed in the hospital section of the American journal Architectural Forum in December 1928.
“Bathroom and air-conditioning in every room were also rare and luxurious at the time,” Hua said. “The benefactor wanted patients to feel at home in the hospital. Air-conditioning was so important because the temperature of operating rooms in Shanghai could reach 42 degrees Celsius in summer.”
According to a report in the China Press on June 13, 1926, an atmosphere of a home was carefully created for this dream hospital.
The wards were decorated with light enameled woodwork, rose curtains, big deep overstuffed chairs restful outlook ove
The children’s nursery rhyme pic around the walls beds brought from cross-barred curta let in a soft light f outside. In a large a ery was a sunny pl little child-size tab cream enamel whe pictures or play jac ized, immaculate f
Upstairs in the s rooms, dispensary rooms, all the glas other utensils wer Japan.
The splendidly ultra-modern mat one of the prides o the infant nursery babies were cared and fresh and comf