An old brick warehouse is transformed into a contemporary organism with innovative and visionary spaces, renewing the headquarters of the historic pastry shop Lao Ding Feng in Beijing
In the industrial area near the North-east 5th Ring Road in Beijing, currently undergoing functional and aesthetic transformations, the old cotton fabric warehouse that already housed the retail store of the Lao Ding Feng bakery is being reimagined by the visionary project of Neri&Hu. The historic pastry brand was founded in Beijing in 1911 and is now witnessing the renovation of its home
The architecture studio carries out a careful analysis of the existing elements that can be preserved and enhanced. The complex consists of a warehouse and three attached volumes overlooking a courtyard. In the distinctive style of Neri&Hu, the work is enriched with new organisms that respect the history but also provide a clear contrast, both in form and material: a concrete solid makes its way inside and among the old factory building
A container can only contain or give shape to the content: the concept of the pastries Lao Ding Feng and that of the design of its renovated headquarters. The original brick container sees a sculptural volume growing inside it, shaping a hybrid architectural work, with unexpected and emotionally impactful spaces where the retail area, an exhibition gallery, and the offices on the first floor find their place. On the ground floor, there are still the cafeteria and the outdoor garden
The concrete element was cast in place and, once dry, worked with a hammer by skilled workers who smoothed its skin. The new volume emerges from the openings of the old one, filling its voids and indicating new accesses in a fascinating interweaving of shapes and interstitial spaces. As you walk through the renovated premises of Lao Ding Feng pastry shop, you can feel the connection between its past, present, and future
