Colourful treasure on Shanghai’s Bund: uncovering original paint finishes in the Chinese Banking Hall of the former HSBC Building

Abstract

The former HSBC Building, today occupied by Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, is one of the largest iconic buildings on the Bund in Shanghai. Designed by Palmer & Turner in the neoclassic style, the building was completed in 1923. Restoration of the interior of the Chinese Banking Hall, located within the southwestern corner of the building, is now underway. This rectangular room features four columns in the centre and stucco decoration on parts of the walls; the ceiling originally had a distinctive, vibrantly colourful design in a bold mix of Western and Chinese styles. The only extant documentation of the banking hall’s original decoration includes black-and-white photographs and a short, written description. Today, all the plaster surfaces are covered over with several layers of white and cream-coloured paint finishes. A preliminary analysis of the hall’s decorative finishes was conducted to determine the colours, paint materials, and condition of the original paint layers. The investigation revealed that in some sections, the original paint was very brittle. Restoration by exposing the finishes in the entire room (removing the modern layers covering the original one) did not appear feasible. This article investigates the results of the following: assessing the condition of the paint materials; identifying the significance of the decorations; the challenges facing the room’s conservation; and potential conservation options for the room’s decoration.