In the summer of 2022 we were commissioned to transform the Warehouse No.9 of the former Beijing Textile Factory built in the 1950s into a contemporary art space “traverse”. Deeply inspired by the vision of the newly founded private non-profit art institution to become an "artistic", more importantly an "empty" place, in which calm and sensitive minds are protected in a time of ever-accelerating replacement of old with new, one the most important design objectives was set to create a non-barrier free space, and a hollow shell waiting to be injected with meanings.
The final design took a minimalist approach of using cast concrete as both the structure and finish. The 8-meter high existing open shell of the humble red brick warehouse is vertically rearranged into four different levels: the first floor as the main gallery, second floor accommodating two office rooms and the restroom, the mezzanine level of second floor as a lecture room and library, and finally the rooftop terrace. Any visitor is encouraged to walk freely in between the levels and all the way up to the roof.
The crafting process of the space resembles an archaeological site. If this textile warehouse built in the 1950s is a dusty book, then everything began with reading it. As the design and construction proceeded, we realized that there was so much hidden information in the book that it became unnecessary to add anything new. Simply by revealing the hidden information we would have a story rich enough. Ultimately, all we did was tell the “story”.
If a keyword is needed to specify the motion, we think it should be "peeling": removing all the "camouflages" and "coverings" on the surface to expose the inside. As construction moved on, more and more hidden stories were "discovered". Even the new elements we tried to add to the story quickly outdated and turned into new "archaeological sites". The design was not about addition, but about subtraction.
Warehouse No. 9
Ease Studio
Bronze
Bronze

1 / 18

Matthew Senkowycz
Cofounder
at Loom Atelier
I find the created spaces engaging,...
6
6
6
7.5
6.38
.jpeg)
Laura Guido-Clark
Founder
at Love Good Color
7.27
7.4
7.28
5
6.74

Angela Lindahl
Cofounder
at Yatofo Creatives
7.46
6.21
7.71
7.52
7.23

Matyas Simonyi
Creative Director
at Tom Postma Design
5.78
7.54
7.02
8.06
7.1

Alda Ly
Founder and Principal
at ALA Studio
6.5
6.5
7
6
6.5

Amalia Ramírez
Founder and Design Director
at ar_ea
8
8
8
7
7.75

Simon Hamilton
Founder
at Simon Hamilton Creative
7.14
7.7
6.47
3.45
6.19

Maria Felicitas Navia
Founder
at OHIO Estudio
7
7
7
7
7

Lyanne Oosterhof
Senior Interior Architect
at Mecanoo
6
7
6.5
8
6.88

Roman Vrtiška
Cofounder
at Vrtiška & Žák
7
8
7.5
7.5
7.5

Shuhei Aoyama
Founder and Director
at B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio
8
7.3
8
7
7.58

Nataša Stanaćev
Founding Partner
at Stanaćev Granados
7.5
7
7
6
6.88

Matthew Senkowycz
Cofounder
at Loom Atelier
I find the created spaces engaging,...
6
6
6
5
5.75
.jpeg)
Laura Guido-Clark
Founder
at Love Good Color
Can definitely feel the peeling awa...
7
7.5
7.25
5
6.69

Angela Lindahl
Cofounder
at Yatofo Creatives
6
6
6
5
5.75

Matyas Simonyi
Creative Director
at Tom Postma Design
5.15
7.23
5
5.47
5.71

Alda Ly
Founder and Principal
at ALA Studio
6.5
6.5
7
6
6.5

Amalia Ramírez
Founder and Design Director
at ar_ea
8
8
8
7
7.75

Simon Hamilton
Founder
at Simon Hamilton Creative
6.81
6.58
6.7
2.44
5.63

Maria Felicitas Navia
Founder
at OHIO Estudio
6.5
7
7
7
6.88

Lyanne Oosterhof
Senior Interior Architect
at Mecanoo
7
7
8
7
7.25

Roman Vrtiška
Cofounder
at Vrtiška & Žák
7
7.5
6.5
8
7.25

Shuhei Aoyama
Founder and Director
at B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio
7.7
7.6
7.6
6.7
7.4

Nataša Stanaćev
Founding Partner
at Stanaćev Granados
7
7
7
5
6.5
Designer
Client
Traverse
Floor area
118 ㎡
Completion
2023
Budget
3 million rmb
Furniture