1933 Shanghai

The architecture of Shanghai is fascinating. You have modern glass-laden high-rises overlooking the red-shingled rooftops and laundry-draped balconies of older housing. Scattered throughout this city are remnants of Shanghai's earlier industrial days, now turned into art galleries, museums, and touristy places.

On Friday, I went to a building that's basically just called 1933. It's a slaughterhouse turned boutique shopping area / performance space / photographer's heaven. Late afternoon was an INCREDIBLE time to go, because there was all this warm golden sunlight splashing on stone, filtering through the nooks and crannies and bends of 1933:

I was particularly fascinated by the way they so artistically illustrated the toilets:

And, like I said, the light, the light!

1933 had these "cow paths" (left side) for--what else?--the cattle (the humans walked up tight staircases that were just wide enough for two skinny people, so that the cattle can't go there) that wound up four stories:

The view from the fifth-floor rooftop. See what I mean about high-rises/older housing? Oh, and that perpetual haze was actually on the light side that day. As in, I could see a relatively blue sky!

There was this empty ballroom-esque space that could fuel a month's worth of fictional imaginings:

This is the circular room in the center at the top, with a see-through glass floor, that could also be transformed into a performance space. It just takes my breath away:

Cool graffiti in the basement:

Next step: return when I buy a DSLR and have people willing to model for me. Can't you just taste the possibilities?