Gulangyu Timekeeping Tower - Unique Western-Style Architecture

Located on Anhai Road in Gulangyu, the ‘Timekeeping Tower’, also known as ‘Yiyuan&[...]

Located on Anhai Road in Gulangyu, the ‘Timekeeping Tower’, also known as ‘Yiyuan’, is named for its resemblance to a self-striking clock. This contemporary Western-style building is adorned with richly decorated reliefs on its lintels, window frames, and parapets, making it a unique and aesthetically pleasing villa building on Gulangyu.
Constructed around the 1920s, the exact date and original owner of the Timekeeping Tower are currently untraceable; however, it is known that the first owner was a wealthy Chen, who had many concubines and found the numerous rooms of the tower suitable for their accommodation.

The Timekeeping Tower, a contemporary Western-style architecture, does not feature the floor-to-ceiling doors and shutters or louvers found in European buildings. Instead, it has iron grilles installed behind glass windows, a style that can be seen in the American Consulate and has been used in many subsequent constructions.

The tower lacks a moisture barrier and an annex, and its column style is not the standard Greek order, but rather a designer’s and craftsman’s interpretation of it. They have added decorative sculptures to the Ionic order, creating a distinctive style. The facade decoration is simple and lively, using the natural color of cement and granite gravel, which seamlessly blends with the granite tones of the stress bars and steps, providing an excellent visual effect that is bright and elegant.

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