上海的老弄堂很多，尽管我已经对上海的马路进行了逐个扫描，一条条弄堂都有过探寻，但是还会有漏网之鱼，根德坊应该就是其中的一条，这条弄堂反而是在高楼上俯视后才发现的。这就是一次在南昌大楼天台上向下俯瞰，目击之处都进行了一番扫描，当我在东北角向下俯瞰时，看到了这栋弄堂建筑的山墙十分漂亮，它在爬山虎的映衬下就像一幅画，所以引起了我很大的兴趣。走进茂名南路133弄发现弄堂很短，北侧有比较新潮的新式弄堂建筑，它的南立面都有往外突出的设计，既避免了建筑的呆板，又可以增加它的采光面积。从我原来写过的茂名南路一文中可以知道133弄还是有它的弄堂名的，它叫：家庆坊，而这一条弄堂涵盖三种建筑形式，另一个就是22号的花园洋房，有老居民回忆这里曾经是周霖创办于1939年的华英女子中学。目前是一家商业单位，里面早就不是原来的样子了。家庆坊的新式里弄建筑设计形式在上海部分弄堂建筑中也可以看到，只不过都是建筑的单间部分会做这样的处理。走过这排房子后就可以看到根德坊的牌子，这就是这条弄堂的第三种建筑形式，根德坊也就两排房子，按照布局可以猜测到是小业主的产业，由于地处淮海中路一侧，地皮的昂贵使他只能见缝插针。于是形成了弄内套弄的布局。从建筑的结构来看，根德坊应该反而是这条最早的建筑，因为明显的可以看到砖木结构的木窗。北面的一排建筑15号至17号按当时的大部分的做法是弄堂业主建造后供出租使用，所以我们可以看到有三个分割的单元，从北侧可以看到它们的体量稍有不同，这是为了出租或出售时满足不同房型的需求，而南面的18号才是业主为自己家族兴建的豪宅。有点可惜，我们无从查到根德坊是谁投资兴建，它的变迁过程也就无法理顺，不知道文章发表后能够让了解详情的朋友提供相关性息，这样就可以让大家了解到这条弄堂的真实故事。我们可以从18号房子的东侧看到它的体量相当大，上海的弄堂建筑一般都会因为采光的缘故，不会造的很深，因为建筑之间的间距没法让光线从南窗照射到房间深处，但是有些建筑师又希望弄堂建筑在保留了间距后有足够的室内空间，所以在整栋建筑中间设计了中天井，这样就可以让中天井的光线弥补房间深处的采光不足的问题，这种案例我们可以在四明邨、鲁迅故居的大陆新邨看到。根德坊应该没有中天井，因为我们从后门看进去里面没有天光透下来，但是我们可以看到它的东侧有一道侧门，虽然没有进到里面看看，但是可以理解为它是东厢房中间的隔断，也就是可以是前后厢房的隔断，于是东面前厢房北侧可以通过这条走道上的光线来弥补采光不足，后厢房也可以通过这条走廊来作为出入口，也可以作为南北通风采光的用途。比较有意思的是东厢房的楼上往东延伸，跨在东侧围墙上，形成了弄堂内的过街楼，显然是为了增加建筑面积，当然它还能起到另外一个作用，就是在这个过街楼上，可以观察到弄堂里进进出出的状态。根德坊建的虽然比较早，砖木结构，到现在还可以看到木窗结构，但是阳台已经采用外挑式混凝土结构，这两种方式结合在一起，在上海其他的里弄建筑中还是较为少见的。根德坊最南侧有小花园，还有老的水井，它的南立面设计很像愚园路上柳林别业，咋一看有点似曾相识的感觉。一条短短的弄堂能够有三种完全不同的建筑形式也是有点意外，仔细的看看还能有不少看点，这应该就是老弄堂探寻的乐趣所在。On Maoming Road lies an old lane that embodies three distinct architectural styles.Shanghai is home to numerous old lanes, and despite my thorough exploration of its streets, there are still hidden gems waiting to be discovered. Gende Lane is one such example, revealing itself only when viewed from above the towering buildings.This revelation came during a visit to the rooftop of the Nanchang Building, where I scanned the surroundings from a vantage point. As I peered down from the northeast corner, I was captivated by the beauty of the gable of this lane's architecture, which, framed by the creeping vines, resembled a picturesque painting, igniting my keen interest. Upon entering Lane 133 on Maoming South Road, I found it to be quite short, with the northern side showcasing more contemporary lane-style buildings. The southern facade features protruding designs that not only alleviate the rigidity of the structures but also enhance their natural light exposure. From a previous article I wrote about Maoming South Road, I learned that Lane 133 is known as Jiaqing Fang. This lane encompasses three architectural forms, one of which is a garden villa located at number 22. Longtime residents recall that this site was once home to the Huaying Girls' School, founded by Zhou Lin in 1939. Currently, it serves as a commercial establishment, having long since lost its original character.The design of the new-style lane buildings in Jiaqing Fang can also be observed in certain other lane structures throughout Shanghai, albeit typically in the configuration of individual units.After passing this row of houses, one can spot the sign for Gende Lane, representing the third architectural style within this area. Gende Lane consists of merely two rows of houses, and its layout suggests ownership by small proprietors. Due to its prime location adjacent to Huaihai Middle Road, the expensive land necessitated a creative use of space, resulting in a layout that features interlocking lanes.From an architectural, Gende Lane appears to be one of the earliest constructions in area, as evidenced by the distinctive brick-and-wood structure featuring wooden windows. The row of buildings on the northern side, numbered 15 to 17, follows the prevalent practice of the time, built by lane owners for rental purposes. This accounts for the three subdivided units, each varying slightly in size to cater to diverse housing needs for renters or buyers. In contrast, the southern building at number 18 was constructed as a opulent residence for the owner’s family.Regrettably, we lack information about who financed the construction of Gende Lane, and without this knowledge, its evolutionary narrative remains elusive. It is hoped that this article may prompt readers with relevant insights to share such details, thereby illuminating the authentic story of this lane.Observing the eastern side of the building at number 18, we note that it is quite substantial in scale. Generally, Shanghai's lane buildings are not constructed deep owing to light access limitations, as the spacing between buildings does not permit southern daylight to penetrate deep into the interior. However, some architects aim for a sufficient indoor space while maintaining distance between buildings, introducing a central lightwell into the design. This feature allows light from the well to alleviate the issue of inadequate natural lighting in deeper rooms. Such examples can be found in Siming Village and the Shanghai residence of Lu Xun.Gende Lane likely lacks a lightwell, as glimpses through the back door reveal no sunlight streaming in. However, an east-side entrance suggests a segmentation within the eastern wing, serving as a partition between the front and rear sections. Consequently, the northern side of the front wing can benefit from light filtered through this corridor, while the rear wing utilizes the same passage as an entrance, facilitating both ventilation and illumination from north to south.Intriguingly, the upstairs of the eastern wing extends eastward, spanning over the eastern wall, which creates an elevated walkway within the lane. This seemingly aims to increase usable space while also serving an additional purpose: providing vantage points for observing the comings and goings within the lane.Although Gende Lane was constructed relatively early and retains its brick-and-wood structure, the balconies have adopted a cantilevered concrete design. The combination of these two styles is relatively uncommon among other lane buildings in Shanghai.At the southernmost end of Gende Lane, there exists a small garden alongside an old well, and the design of its southern facade strikingly resembles the Liu Lin Villa on Yuyuan Road, evoking a sense of familiarity at first glance.It is indeed surprising that a short lane showcase three distinctly different architectural forms, and upon closer examination, one can uncover numerous intriguing details. Such discoveries represent the joy of exploring the city’s old lanes.
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