‘Encountering Hudec’ exhibition opens, tracing architect's legacy in Changning
2025/10/29
The thematic exhibition "Urban Encounters with Laszlo Hudec" opened on October 26 at the Sun Ke Villa in Columbia Circle, offering a multidimensional exploration of the influential architect’s connection to Shanghai, particularly Changning District.
During the opening ceremony, the Changning District Culture and Tourism Bureau also released the first episode of the fourth season of its audio documentary series “Listening to Changning: Rediscovering Shanghai-Style Culture,” titled “In Shanghai, a Dialogue with Hudec.”
Hudec, the distinguished architectural master, shared a profound bond with Changning. He built three personal residences in the district, participated in planning the famed "Columbia Circle" residential area, and left a lasting imprint on the urban character of Changning through his visionary designs.
The exhibition is thoughtfully structured into five chapters.
In the "Preface," visitors can trace Hudec’s journey to Shanghai across continents, learning how he rooted himself in the city, studied, integrated, and ultimately developed a design philosophy balancing humanism and functionality.
"Sonata: Whispers of Changning" presents images and physical artifacts related to the sites of Hudec’s three former homes on Rue Lorne, Columbia Road, and Great Western Road, recreating his reflections on residential aesthetics.
In the "Variation: Composing an Ideal" hall, 45 blueprints of Columbia Circle villas are displayed for the first time. These drawings, produced over five years by "Creation Workshop," a cultural creative brand of Jiao Tong University, reveal how Hudec envisioned an ideal community through more than a dozen garden residence styles.
"Echo: Urban Regeneration" focuses on the contemporary revival of Hudec’s architecture—the Columbia Country Club now houses a Tsutaya Bookstore, and its swimming pool has been transformed into a fashion runway, weaving history with modernity.
The exhibition concludes with "Chorus: Encore of Voices," featuring works by artists from the Yangtze River Delta region who pay tribute to Hudec through painting, photography, and design.
Throughout the exhibition period, Changning Culture and Tourism Bureau will also launch the "Hudec XIN Encounters" micro-tour routes, organizing themed walks such as "Best Hongqiao XIN Encounters" and special viewings for expatriate residents.
The exhibition will run until November 23. Interested visitors can register through the Columbia Circle mini-program for online reservation.