Preserving The Architectural Heritage Of Shanghai's French Concession

"The Shanghai Old Homes Association is the flag-bearer for preservation, its members keen to preserve, in situ, as far as possible, homes that have real character and significance. Members Tina Kanagaratnam and Patrick Cranley stick to those principles, living in a house that has barely changed since it was built in the 1940s."

"It is a small association with a loud voice, using every opportunity possible to lobby authorities for the preservation of key buildings."

"Cranley and Kanagaratnam, long-term Shanghai residents who both speak fluent Chinese, are convinced that making a noise will help save needless destruction of buildings that represent a key part of the city's past. After all, They are the only feature that distinguishes Shanghai from other Chinese cities: All the richer ones have pretty much the same portfolio of skyscrapers, new hotels and flashy apartment blocks."