I recently attended a conference at the Liuliqu factory, where students from various fields gathered to learn about the overall project and its challenges. The conference covered topics such as heritage conservation, architectural design, landscape design, interior design, art, and cultural development. It was a great opportunity for the students to gain global knowledge about this project.
I was very impressed to see the factory come back to life with the conference cycle, art and craft market, and office spaces, in addition to the glazed tiles production. I stumbled upon a wonderful coffee space that has a beautiful interior full of different species of plants, creating a very cozy atmosphere. They even used the glazed tiles to create a colorful base for the bar and hung some on the background. It was great to see people using the spaces that were planned, imagined, and designed by us.
As the conference progressed, the sun set, and for the first time, I experienced the site by night. The lighting work is quite a success. The lighting design was carefully studied, and it restores a feeling of truth and authenticity, with an accent on the key features of the site such as the glazed tile wall and the chimney. It was truly a remarkable experience.
Overall, it was a great reminder of why I got into this field in the first place.
More about this project on the project page:
Francois Chimier, Architect, Beijing - Dubai 