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Restored ballroom brings back legendary 1930s Shanghai vibe
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SHANGHAI’S legendary Paramount Ballroom reopens on Saturday next week — as a heritage attraction and an upmarket entertainment and dining venue.
The Paramount, an art deco building on Yuyuan Road in downtown Jing’an District, opened its doors in 1933, becoming one of the most glamorous and luxurious dance halls in the Far East.
In its heyday, politicians, tycoons and adventurers of all kinds flocked to the building. The grandson of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) minister Sheng Xuanhuai held his wedding there. Its fame also attracted celebrities such as the comedian Charlie Chaplin and Kuomintang general Zhang Xueliang.
But in the 1950s, the Paramount was converted to a cinema, and in 1994, it became a nightclub. Many of its original interior features were lost or destroyed.
The Paramount’s glory days were long behind it.
In 2013, a three-year overhaul of the 3,700-square-meter structure started. The renovation has cost nearly 120 million yuan (US$17.4 million), the district’s cultural authority said.
A major problem during the revamp, said engineer Chen Zhongwei, who was in charge of the project, was reinforcing the structure. “I saw rust on steel bars flaking off when I entered the building,” he said, adding that a total of 40 to 50 tons of steel were used to reinforce its pillars.
Another big problem was how to restore the building’s original facade and interior layout, Chen said. “We referred to many historic photos to restore the original look as much as possible. We removed the billboard and rebuilt the (art deco) tower.”
The tower had been pulled down when the Paramount became a cinema. “In early 1992, the tower was rebuilt but the size and the glass was wrong,” Chen said.
The dance floors on the second and third floor were also rebuilt.
To enable visitors to feel the 1930s Shanghai vibe, photos of celebrities have been hung on the walls, and period pieces put on display.
Shanghai Paramount Culture Entertainment Co will run the venue when it reopens. Visitors can pay to dance, or they can enjoy drinks or a meal in the hall. Jazz bands and other performers will be on stage. Those who want privacy can opt to stay in boxes along the corridor.
There will also be free activities, according to Chen Hong, director of the district’s cultural authority.
“Residents and nearby workers will have chance to learn dance free here. Also, we may offer some other activities to allow more people to understand Shanghai culture,” she said.
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