Shanghai Daily news

Preserving old residential buildings through sensitive renovation is the aim of an expatriate American who has immersed himself in the culture and architectural history of the city, writes Ayesha de Kretser.
One of the most important things to ensure home renovations in Shanghai are carried out properly is having the right intermediary between you and the language barrier that impedes a happy outcome when windows are incorrectly placed or walls are painted the wrong color.
Enter spencer Dodington, an energetic Texan who has lived in Shanghai for seven and a half years. Not only does Dodington speak Mandarin, he also speaks flawless Shanghainese. And while understanding the local language is doubtless a sizable advantage, it is his love of Shanghai's old architecture that is the key to his success.
Dodington arrived in Shanghai to work for an international company in a marketing and was a management consultant before this. He says he's always been passionate about Shanghai's old architecture because it is evocative of such a short period in history in which so much change occurred.
"The Bund is an obvious highlight but there are so many wonderful old residential buildings everywhere in this city," says Dodington.
Currently studying a Bachelor of Architecture in Mandarin at Tongji University, Dodington is more familiar than most with the differences between how Chinese people and Westerners live and use residential space. He talks about a particular lecturer at Tongji University whom he says helps put the two systems of architecture into a historical context.
"It's interesting that the Chinese use of space reflects the country's turbulent dynastic history. Houses are mostly very transportable and things are designed to be packed up and moved in a hurry," he says. "Chinese people tend to use space on the spur of the moment and one big room can be used for just about anything. This dates back to the 15th century, best exemplified by the Forbidden City style of architecture when rooms weren't specialized. Architecture has never really developed beyond this, and everything is still movable."
Another key difference is in the amount of space required. While several Chinese families will live in a single room and share key facilities, foreigners prefer their space to be more private.
Dodington's passion for Shanghai's old buildings has inspired a collection of some 15,000 photographs of residential buildings. He says he draws on these pictures as a kind of database and that he's snapped every single road in Shanghai and a great many houses.
Shanghai for Dodington does not, however, extend east of the Huangpu River and he says he would never work in Pudong or on a new property.
"I thought, when I first started taking pictures five years ago, that all of this old would be erased and it really began as a way of cataloguing the city's history," says Dodington. "Ten years ago there was no concept of preserving architecture and everything was destined to look like Pudong.  In such a short amount of time Shanghainese people have realized the value of their architectural past and revel in it, enjoy it."
He is impressed with this gigantic change in attitudes and says the most exciting thing is that it's not just about preserving buildings for tourism or retail value - like Xintiandi - but on a more general level has to do with an ever-increasing want to tackle urban development and planning in a better way.
The lack of language barriers between Dodington and his beloved Shanghai leave him privy to many ideas other foreigners are excluded from sharing in. He's in touch with what people on the ground level are thinking and feeling in a way many others are not.
"You can talk to any taxi driver in Shanghai and they'll tell you why Shanghai should save its old buildings," he says. " On the negative side, however, the prices of this type of real estate are pushing these properties out of the everyday person's reach."
Sourcing products and labor is also made infinitely easier for this Shanghainese speaker, and he uses the "guanxi" (connection) which results from his impressive language skills to good effect.
"There's a girl from Fujian Province who runs a glass shop and she helps me source anything from the rubber you put under a coaster mat to doors," he says. "Finding those gems is important and very satisfying because you can spend time with people and develop good relations."
He has two ambitions which he hopes to fulfill in his time in Shanghai. One is to renovate a flat in every single building in Shanghai and the other is to work in an old hotel like the Peace Hotel or the Metropole where the interiors are being destroyed and replaced by what he calls "1997 China chic."
With no plans to leave until he is at least 68, it looks like he'll have plenty of time to achieve these rather lofty goals.
Anyone who wants to contact Dodington for help with their own renovations can call him at 138-1818-7297 or contact via e-mail at sdodington@yahoo.com