At the turn of the 19th century,buildings of the Young Men's Christian Association(YMCA)became a mature form of urban public building in the United States that embodied modern spirit.Along with their introduction into China,preparation for the construction of the Chinese YMCA Hangzhou building began in 1915.The project was suspended due to World War I and restarted in 1918.Its main building was modeled after the Chinese YMCA Guangzhou building that was designed by the Chicago company Shattuck & Hussey and was regarded as the most beautiful and most complete Chinese YMCA building of the time.It was put into use in 1919,with a roof garden(transformed in 1946)and a later added unique Western-style clock and water tower.Since 1949,especially over the past decade or so,the Chinese YMCA Hangzhou building has gradually become a non-religious place for cultural,sports,and recreational activities and training classes.Being one of the earliest modern Western-style architectures in Hangzhou and once known as the"Crown of the West Lake",it bears witness to some of the major historical events in modern China and stands as an excellent example of modern Chinese YMCA buildings.It was listed as a Zhejiang provincial cultural heritage site in 1997.
Chinese YMCA in HangzhouChinese YMCA in GuangzhouheadquartersimitationShattuck & Hussey
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