Wudadao: international architecture exposition

An old man smoking a pipe drives a horse-drawn white wagon. Traveling on such a wagon around Wudadao in Tianjin is really a unique landscape. Wudadao, known as the international architecture exposition, is a cultural scenic spot that best shows the city’s charm and history.

Wudadao refers to an approximately rectangular area in the south of Chengdu Rd, north of Machang Rd, east of Xikang Rd, and west of Machang Rd and Nanjing Rd. There are 23 roads in the region, with a total length of 17 kilometers and a total area of 1.28 square kilometers. Wudadao means five major streets in English. It got its name from the five major routes crossing it—Machang Road, Munan Road, Dali Road, Changde Road, and Chongqing Road. Once a pit-pond in the south, it was included into the British Concession in 1902. In 1919, the British Municipal Council began to fill the area, and gradually developed it into an upscale residential district so there stand more than 400 well-preserved buildings with various styles that were designed and built in the 1920s or 1930s.

According to Tianjin’s historical buildings protection office, Wudadao came into shape when the eclecticism and revival of classical architectures prevailed in the West. And at the same time, after the Revolution of 1911, the emerging national bourgeoisie in China who were influenced by the West in both mind and lifestyle wanted unconventional architectures. Under such influences brought by Chinese and foreign architects and buyers, multiple styles were adopted on these buildings, including Western classical, baroque, eclectic, modern, and Chinese-Western combination, which constitute the “international architecture exposition”.

Another reason for Wudadao’s reputation is that many celebrities once lived here, including two presidents of the Republic of China and seven prime ministers and acting prime ministers, renowned educator Zhang Boling, famous industrialists Zhou Xuexi, Li Zhuchen and Song Feiqin, late president of the United States Herbert Clark Hoover, and former Olympic champion Li Airui. There are more than 200 late residences of historical figures here, which are historical and cultural heritages for Tianjin. Therefore, Wudadao is a miniature of modern Chinese history.

Machang Rd is the longest among the five routes in Wudadao, at 3,216 meters. It was named so because it once led to a racecourse in the Concession and was a bustling road often visited by gentry.

Row upon row of villas stand along Munan Rd, with courtyards and gardens. Dali Rd, once named Xinjiapo Rd, is known for various free-standing structures, while upscale townhouses are located in Chongqing Rd, where there are several residences of celebrities, such as the Qing Palace.

As a national historical and cultural city which sees protection of historical buildings a priority, Tianjin has renovated Wudadao and similar spots in recent years drawing on previous protection experience from home and abroad.

And there was a nine-episode documentary named Wudadao shot by Tianjin Party committee’s publicity department, the Central Television Station, and Tianjin Television and Radio Station. After being broadcast in 2014, it has received active response and set off a tourism boom in Wudadao.