Design competition aims to renew industrial city

By Ji Yuqiao Source:Globaltimes.cn Published: 2020/1/20 2:06:06

 

An old and unused steel factory in Handan, Hebei Province. Photos: Courtesy of UED

The third International Urban Planning and Design Competition is underway in Handan, North China's Hebei Province and is aimed at transforming an old factory to improve the city's appearance.

The HanSteel Company once produced rolled steel used for construction. The company built its eastern plants in Handan's central region years ago to meet production needs, but today the factory has hindered city development.

Hebei's provincial government will choose the best plan submitted during the design competition so they can rebuild the industrial area to make it more harmonious with the surrounding facilities.

The competition is also meant to explore practical ways an industrial city can transform itself and promote city renewal efforts.

The old and unused factories were referred to as "industrial heritage" at a press conference held for the design competition on Thursday.

Architecture design teams were invited to participate including Zhuang Weimin, a fellow with the Chinese Academy of Engineering from Architecture Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University, and Maria Zafeiriadou from UNStudio based in the Netherlands.

The teams will plan and redesign an area of roughly 8.66 square kilometers with the old factory as the core and based on concepts aimed at protecting industrial heritage.  

Peng Lixiao, chief editor of architecture magazine UED, said during the press conference that urban renewal has become a new growth point in China's urbanization process, and industrial heritage is one of the important parts of urban renewal. 

Beijing's 798 Art Zone was a military factory 50 years ago. It has since been transformed into a well-known complex of decommissioned military factory buildings boasting a unique architectural style that houses a thriving artistic community.

The UCCA Center for Contemporary Art was established in one of the largest factories inside the complex, and after further renovations, serves as the anchor institution and most prominent, and most visited, art destinations in the area.

Art exhibitions are held regularly at the 798 Art Zone and attract curious visitors and art lovers throughout the year. 



Posted in: SOCIETY,ART

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