Jewish Club of Shanghai, by Lafuente & Wootten

The project is mentioned for the first time in a North China Herald article entitled "A Jewish Club for Shanghai" (published in July 6, 1918), which described both the plot and the main characteristics of the property, and the joy of the Jewish community of Shanghai for a meeting place, subdued yet with a large dance hall. In his España en China. Crónica de un viaje (1921), journalist Romero Salas described in detail the luxurious auditorium and the large gallery that opened onto a beautiful back garden.

Although the project was finished, the club never officially opened and it was partially destroyed by fire in the spring of 1920. The Kadoorie family acquired the plot and remaining structure and commissioned English architects Graham Brown & Wingrove to remake it using Lafuente & Wootten's standing framing. Completed in 1924, it became the private mansion of businessman Elly Kadoorie.

It is known today (standing at 1799 West Nanjing Road) as the "Children's palace" (少年宫, as it hosts activities for children) and "Marble palace" (大理石大厦) for its interiors overloaded with Italian marbles.

LEONARDO PÉREZ, Álvaro (2019). “Overnight at the Crossroads: Abelardo Lafuente's Architectural Legacy for 'The Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels Ltd.' in Shanghai". Built Heritage, Special Issue No. 3 Volume 3, p. 21-23.

KNYAZEVA, Katya, "Shanghai Architecture Series: Elly Kadoorie's Marble Hall", Katya Knyazeva's scrapbook. Shanghai history and architecture (blog)