Fuli Garment Factory Renovation

Yangpu, China
Main building elevation after renovation
Photo © Hou Bowen
Fuli Garment Factory in an urban context
Photo © Hou Bowen
masterplan
Drawing © genarchitects
Streescape in the early morning
Photo © Chen Hao
Glazing before renovation
Photo © genarchitects
Glazing after renovation
Photo © genarchitects
Setback facade & extensive view
Photo © Hou Bowen
Illuminating the column with corbels and channel plates
Photo © genarchitects
Tangible channel plates on the facade
Photo © genarchitects
South side recessed balconies on the main building after renovation
Photo © Hou Bowen
Rooftop space under renovation
Photo © Hou Bowen
Clear ground level
Photo © Hou Bowen
Elevator lobby
© Hou Bowen
The square and ground level space
Photo © Hou Bowen
Intangible wallscape alongside the street
Photo © Hou Bowen
Back lane space
Photo © Chen Hao
North side corridors
Photo © Hou Bowen
Ground floor plan before renovation
Drawing © genarchitects
Ground floor plan after renovation
Drawing © genarchitects
Section after renovation
Drawing © genarchitects
Drawing © genarchitects
Section before renovation
Drawing © genarchitects
Drawing © genarchitects
Schematic renovation diagram
Drawing © genarchitects
Drawing © genarchitects
Drawing © genarchitects
arkkitehdit
genarchitects
Location
Yangpu, China
Year
2015
Team
Fan Beilei, Kong Rui, Chen Xiaoyi, Xue Zhe, Liu Yang, Luo Yiqian, Zhang Xun, Tao Shuting, Ye Kai, Yan Jieming, Lei Huanlingzi, Zhang Lei, Xu Wenkai, Wang Chuxue, Vinchy Wu, Wen Zishen

Located on Fengcheng road in Yangpu district of shanghai, the former Fuli Garment Factory, which was founded in 1985, is still running when we first came to the site. The workers were busy as usual, occasionally reminding us not to take photos of them.

It was not the first time that the factory was renovated. Like every old building, changes took place as owners and users shift, gradually blurring the simplicity of the original space. After we cleaned up the ceilings, the temporary canopies, odds and ends, the bones of the old building slowly appeared.

The structure of the factory was assembled with prefabricated concrete components. It was like piling up to blocks: column caps supporting the beams, beams carrying the slabs, one after another. Today's buildings are rarely as perspicuous, more and more layers are attached to the structure to fulfill more complicated requirements, while the real bones of the building become invisible. we wanted to restore this perspicuous feeling for the users, as well as to remind the city and citizens walking on the streets, that there is such a clear skeleton inside the banal and chaotic shell.

So we opened up the south facade, and offset the glass wall a step inside to reveal a row of structure, which also provided a balcony for people to walk out. To the south, numerous old industrial buildings silently expand to the horizon, until a few tall buildings far beyond breaks the skyline--a grand scene hard to find in a city like shanghai. Except for the view, the new facade also introduces natural light. As evening falls, the prefabricated grooved boards are lit up, revealing the structure from behind the glass, which can be seen from far. To achieve such simplicity, we carefully organized the ventilation, firefighting installation, pipes and ducts. Since they would be totally exposed, it was better to put everything in order.

On the ground floor, all solid walls were demolished to connect the whole site as an open entirety. In the future, it will host commercial functions, serving the users in this park and the residents nearby. It will bean intelligible and open building.

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