László Hudec
Encyclopedia
László Ede Hudec or Ladislav Hudec (Besztercebánya, January 8, 1893 – Berkeley
, October 26, 1958) was a Hungarian
- Slovak architect active in Shanghai
from 1918 to 1945 and responsible for some of that city's most notable structures. Major works include the Park Hotel
, the Grand Theater, the Joint Savings and Loan building, the combined Baptist Publications and Christian Literature Society buildings, and the post-modern "Green House". Hudec's style evolved during his active period, from the eclectic neo-classicism popular in the early 20th century to art deco and modern buildings toward the later part of his career. Although some of his buildings have been lost in the intervening decades, many survive.
, Austria-Hungary
. His father, György Hugyecz was a wealthy magyarizedOriginally Juraj Hudec, he changed his Slovak name "Hudec" to the Hungarian form "Hugyecz" in 1890. Slovak
architect, born in the nearby village of Felsőmicsinye (now Horná Mičiná
), while his mother, Paula Skultéty was an ethnic Hungarian from Kassa
. He studied architecture at Budapest University
from 1911 to 1914. As a patriotic Austro-Hungarian citizen
, Hudec volunteered to join the army
after outbreak of World War I
, but was captured by the Russian Army in 1916 and was sent to a prison camp in Siberia. While being transferred, he jumped from a train near the Chinese border and made his way to Shanghai, where he joined the American architectural office R.A. Curry.
In 1925 he opened his own practice, and was responsible for at least 37 buildings up to 1941.
After the Munich Agreement
, (1938) Hudec lost his Czechoslovak citizenship and applied to become Hungarian
citizen. In 1941 he obtained a Hungarian passport and was appointed Honorary Consul of Hungary in Shanghai.
Hudec's masterpiece is usually considered to be the 22-story Park Hotel Shanghai, on Nanjing Road across from People's Square
. Built in 1934, it was the tallest building in the city until the 1980s, and is still a local landmark.
After leaving Shanghai in 1947 Hudec moved to Lugano
and later to Rome
. In 1950 he moved to Berkeley where he taught at the University of California
. He died from heart-attack during an earth quake in 1958. In 1970 his remnants were buried in an evangelic cemetery in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, October 26, 1958) was a Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
- Slovak architect active in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
from 1918 to 1945 and responsible for some of that city's most notable structures. Major works include the Park Hotel
Park Hotel
Park Hotel , is a famous hotel on Nanjing Road overlooking Renmin Park in Shanghai, China.-History:Built in 1934, a prime example of Art Deco architecture designed by the Hungarian architect Ladislav Hudec...
, the Grand Theater, the Joint Savings and Loan building, the combined Baptist Publications and Christian Literature Society buildings, and the post-modern "Green House". Hudec's style evolved during his active period, from the eclectic neo-classicism popular in the early 20th century to art deco and modern buildings toward the later part of his career. Although some of his buildings have been lost in the intervening decades, many survive.
Biography
Hudec was born in 1893 in BesztercebányaBanská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica is a key city in central Slovakia located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mountains. With 81,281 inhabitants, Banská Bystrica is the sixth most populous municipality in Slovakia...
, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
. His father, György Hugyecz was a wealthy magyarizedOriginally Juraj Hudec, he changed his Slovak name "Hudec" to the Hungarian form "Hugyecz" in 1890. Slovak
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
architect, born in the nearby village of Felsőmicsinye (now Horná Mičiná
Horná Miciná
Horná Mičiná is a village and municipality of the Banská Bystrica District in the Banská Bystrica Region of Slovakia-History:In historical records, the village was first mentioned in 1293 Horná Mičiná is a village and municipality of the Banská Bystrica District in the Banská Bystrica Region of...
), while his mother, Paula Skultéty was an ethnic Hungarian from Kassa
Kassa
Kassa can either mean:* Košice a town in Slovakia*Kassa, Mali* Kassa A Dutch consumer protection TV program* Kassa an African ruler* Iles de Los*Kassa, Italian Artist and Designer, http://www.kassa.it...
. He studied architecture at Budapest University
Budapest University of Technology and Economics
The Budapest University of Technology and Economics , in hungarian abbreviated as BME, English official abbreviation BUTE, is the most significant University of Technology in Hungary and is also one of the oldest Institutes of Technology in the world, having been founded in 1782.-History:BME is...
from 1911 to 1914. As a patriotic Austro-Hungarian citizen
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, Hudec volunteered to join the army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
after outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, but was captured by the Russian Army in 1916 and was sent to a prison camp in Siberia. While being transferred, he jumped from a train near the Chinese border and made his way to Shanghai, where he joined the American architectural office R.A. Curry.
In 1925 he opened his own practice, and was responsible for at least 37 buildings up to 1941.
After the Munich Agreement
Munich Agreement
The Munich Pact was an agreement permitting the Nazi German annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland. The Sudetenland were areas along Czech borders, mainly inhabited by ethnic Germans. The agreement was negotiated at a conference held in Munich, Germany, among the major powers of Europe without...
, (1938) Hudec lost his Czechoslovak citizenship and applied to become Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
citizen. In 1941 he obtained a Hungarian passport and was appointed Honorary Consul of Hungary in Shanghai.
Hudec's masterpiece is usually considered to be the 22-story Park Hotel Shanghai, on Nanjing Road across from People's Square
People's Square
People's Square may mean:* People's Square * People's Square * People's Square * People's Square * People's Square * People's Square * People's Square * People's Square...
. Built in 1934, it was the tallest building in the city until the 1980s, and is still a local landmark.
After leaving Shanghai in 1947 Hudec moved to Lugano
Lugano
Lugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy...
and later to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. In 1950 he moved to Berkeley where he taught at the University of California
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. He died from heart-attack during an earth quake in 1958. In 1970 his remnants were buried in an evangelic cemetery in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.
Buildings in Shanghai
- Country Hospital
- Paulun Hospital
- Margaret Williamson Hospital
- Moore Memorial Church
- German Church
- Chapei Power Station
- China Baptist Publication Society and Christian Literature Society Building
- Union Brewery
- Grand Theatre
- Park Hotel Shanghai
- Dr Woo's villa (Green house)
- Avenue Apartments
- Normandy Building (former ISS building)
- Hudec House
- Columbia Circle
- The American Club
External links
- Hudec Heritage Project
- Exhibit Highlights Shanghai Hotel and its Designer
- Laszlo Hudec fonds at University of Victoria, Special Collections
- Interactive 3D models of László Hudec's buildings created with Virtual Building Explorer.
- http://www.hudec.sh Official site of the year of Hudec in Shanghai