Zhao Shen

Zhao Shen was born on August 15, 1898, outside the North Gate in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, specifically in Jiangyin Lane. He passed away on October 16, 1978. His father died early in his life. From 1911 to 1919, Zhao Shen studied at Tsinghua College in Beijing, after which he went to the University of Pennsylvania in the United States to study architecture, earning a master's degree in 1923. During his time in the United States, Zhao Shen interned professionally and examined European architecture.

In 1927, after returning to China, he worked at the architecture firm of Fan Wenzhao, where he designed the Youth Association Building at Baxian Bridge in Shanghai, the Nanjing Grand Theatre, and the Nanjing Railway Ministry Office Building. In 1930, he established his own architecture practice, which was joined by Tong Xun in the following year, leading to the firm's renaming as Hua Ge Architectural Firm. The firm designed notable buildings such as the Nanjing Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, the Great Shanghai Theatre, the Zhejiang Industrial Bank in Shanghai, and the Jiangnan University in Wuxi (which later became the Taihu Hotel in 1947).

During the War of Resistance against Japan, Zhao Shen relocated to Kunming, Yunnan Province. After 1949, he served as the Chief Engineer at the Central Design Institute in Beijing from 1953 to 1955. He spent the remaining years primarily working in Shanghai, including roles such as Director of the United Architectural Engineering Office (1950-1952), Chief Engineer at East China Architectural Design Company (1952-1953), and Chief Architect of East China Design Institute (1955-1978). He died in Shanghai on October 16, 1978.

Zhao Shen was married to Sun Ximing (1901-1988). They had four daughters: Zhao Qingrun, Zhao Fengfeng, Zhao Bbiben, and Zhao Qixiong. Additionally, they adopted a son, Zhao Zuqun, born in July 1928.