Hospital a ‘magnificent gift’ to old Shanghai
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A modern architectural practice
For a long time, the Country Hospital was classified as a classic-style architecture. But Professor Hua finds that it’s a modern, functional architectural practice disguised in “a classic coat.”
“I have also classified the hospital as a classic building in my master’s paper written in 2000. But after studying more historical archives, I found it was a misunderstanding. To realize the benefactor’s intensive ideal, the design of the Country Hospital always followed the principles of modernism which was ‘form follows function,’ whether in terms of the layout, the façade style, or the selection of materials and equipment,” Professor Hua said.
She discovered the classic-style façade and reception hall were not merely designed to pursuit fashion or conservative aesthetic beauty. It was “a rational selection” to deal with Shanghai’s summer heat and create a friendly medical ambience. The three sets of gigantic porches topped by gables were used to prevent summer sunlight.
“Like factories, hospital buildings are required to be economical, practical and designed in a concise, simple-cut layout style, which as later adopted by Renji Hospital, built in 1932, Hongqiao Sanatorium in 1933, Paulun Hospital and Margaret Williamson Hospital both designed by Hudec in the 1920s. But the dream of the benefactor was to build an upper-class, comfortable country sanatorium. So Hudec thoughtfully designed furniture, floor decorations and selected materials and colors to create a cozy, tranquil atmosphere of home,” Hua said.
It was the first project Hudec was in full charge of and the first important work after he left American architect R. A. Curry’s firm to start his own business.
Since Hudec had obeyed the agreement, the benefactor was so satisfied that he enjoyed standing in the front row of the opening ceremony with no one knowing that he built the hospital.
Rayner’s life mirrored that of another heir-less wealthy old Shanghai resident — British merchant Henry Lester. Both of them had made money out of Shanghai and wanted to put it back into the metropolis for the benefit of the community. And they both emphasized charity projects for medical purposes.
A successful architect and landlord, Lester was the main contributor to the Lester Chinese Hospital (today’s Renji Hospital), and Lester Institute of Medical Research. Rayner, who had worked for German firm Carlowitz Co and owned a company named Housser & Co, thought of building a hospital for the international community.
The Country Hospital had enjoyed a favorable reputation after it opened, whose quality services attracted both foreign and Chinese patients. According to reports in Chinese newspapers Wenhui Daily in March 1946, Soong Mei-ling, wife of Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek, came to the hospital to visit her husband’s famous Australian consultant William Henry Donald, who passed away in the hospital in November of that year. Song also accompanied American General George Marshall’s wife to the hospital for medical treatment.
Today the former Country Hospital serves as the No. 1 Building in Huadong Hospital, where many of the city’s VIPs received medical treatment.
The hospital grew to house more than 1,300 beds and is specialized in treating diseases for the elderly. The hospital’s head nurse, Chen Zhen, joined the first Shanghai medical team to go to Wuhan hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients in January. In Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, she was widely called “the head nurse with big eyes” by her patients.
Early summer is a nice time to visit Huadong Hospital. Walking past the busy nurses, you will find a huge garden in the depth of the hospital. It is dotted with century-old pines, magnolia trees and centenarian patients sitting peacefully in wheelchairs.
According to The China Press on June 9, 1926, the gardens and beauty surrounding it were also the gifts of the benefactor who created them with “a labor of love.” It was him who planned and nursed the trees, flowers and shrubs ever since the hospital site was decided upon two and a half years before.
Now the lush lawn is a perfect setting to appreciate a hospital of love and care, sprayed in gold by the summer’s sunlight.