Former Site of Northeastern Institute of Technology, Shenyang

In late 1951, builders arrived at this marshy, reed-covered mudflat by Changzhao Lake to lay the foundation stone for a large-scale industrial education center. This land later developed into Northeast University of Science and Technology, and in August 1950, metallurgical pioneer Jin Shuliang became its first president. His envisioned campus would train technical personnel for the emerging industrial nation.

Between 1952 and 1956, four core teaching buildings were erected. These buildings blended mid-20th-century socialist modernism with traditional Chinese architectural elements. The Metallurgy Building, completed in 1952, was designed by Professor Liu Hongdian, a student of the legendary architect Liang Sicheng. Liu used a pale yellow imitation stone finish and designed deeply recessed classroom windows to fully utilize the stable, ample north-facing natural light required for engineering drawings.

Along the central axis, the building designed by Associate Professor Huang Minsheng became Shenyang's first concrete-frame structure building. The adjacent Mining Building, built in 1956 by Lecturer Hou Jiyao, features column capitals adorned with wheat ear reliefs and pilasters modeled after traditional Chinese interlaced beams. The nearby Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Building, designed by Associate Professor Wang Yao, rose from the ground in just 108 days. Student workers mixed concrete and laid bricks to meet the nation's urgent need for engineers. Inside, workers walked across smooth red and black terrazzo floors and washed their hands beside heavy iron heating pipes installed to withstand Shenyang's harsh winters.

To accommodate visiting Soviet and domestic experts, the university built four two-story brick-and-wood villas, each with a semi-basement and attic. Today, these buildings remain an important part of Northeastern University's South Lake Campus. One of these historic expert villas is now a tranquil café. Its pale yellow walls, weathered stone steps, and quiet courtyard preserve the memories of a generation who built classrooms in the marshland, laying the foundation for the nation's heavy industry.