Based on the unsuccessful adaptive reuse of the Qilin Cement Plant in Longyan, the second renovation of the Longyandong Cultural & Creative Park revitalizes the decommissioned site into the city’s first factory-turned-cultural district. The project re-integrates the isolated factory into the urban fabric, inviting visitors to rediscover the forgotten industrial and cultural heritage of the Longyandong mountains. Due to budgetary constraints, we were challenged to renovate the buildings and landscape at the scale of the building skin and material finishes, while minimizing demolition to the substructure.
Operating at the intersection of architecture, landscape, and urban design, our intervention re-imagines the street sections and in-between spaces of the site into an enfilade of mimetic landscapes, each preserving Longyan’s urban memories in the form of public spaces. We addressed a major topographic challenge between two key datums with the creation of a vertical plaza, thereby repurposing a previously underutilized area into an amphitheatre for events and performances. To connect with the natural landscape and honor the site’s stone mining past, we partially dismantled a 7-meter retaining wall to usher a verdant slope and a cascade of stone-stepped plural. At the heart of the upper plaza, two twisting dragon sculptures emerge to bring the ancient legend of Longyandong Caves to life for visitors and residents.
The silos' renovation introduces new fenestration and modern materials, such as corrugated steel and fluted aluminum panels, to complement the weathered concrete, ensuring they will continue to stand as Longyan’s distinct landmarks. The new buildings introduced in the last renovation feature a minimalist white stucco finish – a subtle backdrop to emphasize Longyandong’s heritage. Overall, our approach not only offers an alternative vision for these derelict monuments, but also demonstrates a sustainable practice of urban renewal with minimal intervention.