Architect Aurelien Chen takes liberties with the aesthetic development of this former miners’ canteen in Handan, China. Transforming the 1970s building into a multi-purpose cultural center, the Beijing-based architect references and amplified the structure’s communist heritage.
The interior of the cultural center strikes a good balance between the industrial character of the building’s history and contemporary motifs which are enhanced through the choice of furniture, decorations, floor glazing, and so on. Through the redesign, Aurelien Chen represented “China’s evolution during the ‘Red Era,’ beginning with the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1921 and culminating in the Cultural Revolution that took place from 1966-1976.” With this emphasis on national history, the cultural center in Handan is geared mainly toward tourists.
Image Credit: Dezeen
