Restoration of the workshops, Xingfa Cement Plant

Gaze at Time with Delight and Elegance

To answer the government’s call for environment protection, Beijing Xingfa Cement Plant shut down the complete production line, and at the same time, implemented the ecological restoration of the mining area (over 1,600 mu). The Source Design Company has been invited to rebuild the whole factory. The workshop of pulverized ore has been transformed into a reception center serving local citizens, which can undertake various functions, including catering and leisure, exhibition, small meetings, etc.

Considering the respect and inheritance of the history and culture of the original building, the designers retained the 500-ton ore crusher and the bridge crane connecting the gravel transport channel and the roof, allowing visitors to understand the cement production process and witness the glory and transformation of industrialization.

Within the restoration process, the new spiral staircase, stage space, art exhibition space and outdoor leisure area, and also the addition of bar and lounge are added to bear more functions and more perspectives.

The lighting has been re-adjusted in the renovation process. We have re-set the lights on the roof, re-divided each area with the contrast of light and shade, and, with light guiding the routes and reflected on the stone crusher, illuminated the the ancient zigzagging ladder with colorful lights alternately.

In terms of art display, we have tried our best to use local materials and parts from the factory's accessories workshop to manufacture a series of artworks, for example, in the Lounge, designers disassemble and resemble the lounge with ore as the inspiration, demonstrating the lift technique with abstract methods. In the conference area, all the furniture is arranged in a rectangular array, to fully display the perspective function at the base part which restores the original function. The selection of chairs and benches has a sense of line, which symbolizes the future.

It is our hope that industry, history and art can be integrated in a way which not only preserves the traces of time, but also fosters and creates a new cultural context.