Editor's note: The article is published in Shanghai Expo Magazine Issue 2 2007, introducing the following historical architectures in the Expo Site.

By Cen Wei, Zheng Yufei, Ming Zi

Sanshan Guild Hall

Sanshan Guild Hall, located on 1551 Zhongshan Road South, is a municipal level historic and cultural site. According to the three-grade protective principle stipulated in Shanghai Expo master planning, Sanshan Guild Hall is a grade one building (historic & cultural site and excellent & historical building) to be preserved within Expo area.

Sanshan Guild Hall was co-built by Fujian fruiterers lived in Shanghai in 1909. For those fruiterers, it is a place to discuss business and to hold sacrificial ceremony. Sanshan was named after three mountains -- Yuewang Mountain, Jiuxian Mountain, and Minshan Mountain, in former Fujian city. With less than 100 years since built up, the Hall was strictly constructed in accordance with ancient building Fashi (specifications). Stage and top structures well follow the natural sound amplification theory. Interior patterns as well as size of the stage were designed in specified rules, all of which reflected the meticulous planning and construction.

As the only preserved site of Shanghai industrial workers' third armed uprising, Sanshan Guild Hall is the best protected and complete hall building of late Qing Dynasty in Shanghai, witnessing historical changes of nearly a century. During and after Expo season, the Hall will be well protected, to exhibit its unique historical values in contrast with new buildings to be erected on the Expo site.

Aero Dome in Jiangnan Shipyard

The Aero dome within Jiangnan Shipyard was built in 1930. In January of 1931, the former Naval Aircraft Manufacturing Division, located in Mawei, Fujian Province, was merged into Jiangnan Machine Building Works in Shanghai. Here was the aero boat manufacturing shop. Look up, the inverted-V-shape door lintel, the most typical feature of an aero dome building, high rises there. Right above the entrance engraved with a line of letters "naval aircraft manufacturing division", and an embossed national government navy emblem at the top center. This is a building of composite structures, covering an area of 1082.65m2, floor area of 1632.27m2. From October of 1931 to 1937, here produced a series of trainer and scout planes, named as "Jiang He" (crane over the river) and "Jiang Wu" (parrot over the river) and so on, and many ship-board planes for warship "Ning Hai". August 6, 1933, crowds of excited people witnessed the test-fly of "No. 2 Ning Hai" plane near the shipyard.

Later the Naval Aircraft Manufacturing Division moved back to Fujian, and then the aero dome became a machine repair shop for long time without previous brilliance. According to Shanghai Expo master planning, the aero dome is categorized as grade one building (historic & cultural site and excellent & historical building) to remain, only with functional renovation to be an enterprise pavilion or cultural facility to face its new future.

Pudong Iron and Steel Factory -- Heavy Plate Workshop

Among those industrial buildings remained in Expo area, the heavy plate workshop of Pudong Iron and Steel Factory constructed in 1991, is a real "city warship" to its length as 2.5 times as that of the world's largest aircraft carrier. After investigating the existing conditions of the workshop, experts suggested keeping some equipment as industrial exhibits. Flexible reconfiguration to the space shall be made to meet Expo requirements.

Experts drew such an aggressive picture: the whole workshop is divided into several pavilions, to achieve the idea of building a "city" in a huge bay room; a series of functional zones are established based on the giant warship deck according to specific spatial sequence; boulevards, pedestrian plazas, green spaces and landscapes are located inside and outside with properly designed links. Sceneries will change with visitors' step moving.

After Expo, the unforgettable warship will continue its "city" trip. Its functions will be further developed, to offer various spatial experiences. How can you image, till 2015 the "city warship" -former heavy plate workshop, will go along with its "city" dream, and become a complex of residence, commerce, recreation, park, tourism and sports, a major attraction in Shanghai.

The "city warship" exhibits not only buildings, but a small city, which will make you forget to go back, for the better city will provide better life.

Former Shanghai Hualun Printing and Dyeing Company -- Factory Building

How to preserve those old industrial buildings in Shanghai World Expo area is a great challenge to expo organizers. The renovation and reuse of a former textile factory (Hualun) is a rewarding trial, which is proved to be a success in the constructors' first display.

June, 2006, The Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, as well as the Shanghai World Expo Land Holding Co., Ltd., moved into a brand new office building, called Expo Mansion, located on 3588 Pudong Road South - a newly renovated former textile factory building belonged to Hualun Printing and Dyeing Company, which is relocated. Expo Mansion becomes the front office of expo organizers, who can have a complete overview of expo site and monitor expo constructions in a timely manner. The cost saving principle in expo organization is implemented as well.

The renovation and reuse of Hualun is still under way, including a renovated food service center and parking lot, near Expo Mansion. In the near future, this area will become Shanghai Expo administration center.