Reuse of Old Buildings as Private Architects’ Workspaces in Beijing

In 2012, Beijing was designated as UNESCO City of Design, which promotes further development of city’s design industries. Architecture always makes an important part in the design industries in Beijing. With decrease urban land able to develop and build, how to reuse old building has been a focused issue. In recent years, increasing well-known private architecture firms/studios, founded by well-known Chinese architects with domestic and foreign education background and working experience in international firms, renovate old buildings into their new workspaces. According to the different features of structures, spaces and forms, architects create comfortable working environments for their employees to interact and communicate, and identify their personal architectural styles and values. Furthermore, a number of abandoned factories and warehouse, outdated multistory offices and hotels, and dilapidated siheyuan buildings were successfully activated by various reuse strategies and renovation approaches. The old buildings reuse as architects’ workspaces not only redevelop Beijing’s urban land use and urban landscapes, but also successfully converted some of the disorder and bad area into creative cluster with rich art and culture atmosphere, which attracts more creative talents and even become a well-known tourism site.