This industrial zone in Shenzhen dates from the 1980s when the rapid urbanisation of this fishing village began. The ten buildings on the site were manufacturing facilities that have since relocated inland, leaving a large residual space surrounded by residential areas. The catalyst to redevelopment was the decision to set up a contemporary art centre in one warehouse. Curators and artists worked with the architect and developer on a broader planning strategy for the whole site that aimed to simulate the organic growth of a city. The other warehouses are being appropriated with new buildings between them, creating rich, experimental spaces lacking in standard developments.

Source:

The Aga Khan Trust for Culture, 2011.