The Architecture Studio Calatroni, Hsieh & Co.: An Italian-Chinese Partnership in Shanghai in the 1920s and 1930s

Abstract

The architecture studio Calatroni, Hsieh & Co. was founded in Shanghai 1927. Working in tandem, Edison Calatroni, from Cremona, and Ernyi Hsieh, from Hangzhou, designed upscale residences and apartment houses for Chinese and foreign clients. Their projects expressed wildly diverse international influences but had inventive plans, a high level of crafted finishes and an early application of modern amenities. Their buildings are recognized as important built heritage, but the team that created them has remained largely anonymous. The following research traces the professional biographies of Calatroni, Hsieh and their colleagues in the wider context of the international treaty port. The article highlights the stylistic qualities of the firm’s works and their contribution to the Asian Art Deco movement.