In a world battling dependence on fossil fuels, every fuel factory that closes is a small step towards a greener future. But what happens once a chimney or an entire oil refinery is knocked down? Hangzhou, China has found the answer.
A former oil refinery in the Chinese city is being transformed into a fantastic complex that includes a green park, an art and science museum, office buildings, retail establishments and other cultural spaces. It will be called (wow what a fantasy, guys) Hangzhou Oil Refinery Factory Park. the 45-acre park is located near the Grand Canal of China, as part of the government project to transform industrial sites into social spaces for the community. And God only knows how much there is a need for it in one of the countries listed among the world's leading polluters.
Green Refinery, come to me
Leading the project is the famous MVRDV architectural firm, an old acquaintance of our site. Take a look to some previous work, we love these guys. The firm's architects plan to keep some of the larger structures, while transforming the smaller silos into immersive art spaces and commercial kiosks. With an exceptional protagonist.
One silo, one dream
In the heart of the park, the new will stand out Art and Sci-Tech Center, made from a giant oil silo covered entirely in glass. The facade of the building will be covered in LEDs, creating a dynamic and ever-changing exterior. The interior of the museum will host a circular exhibition hall, while rectangular boxes will be used for artists' studios, offices and commercial spaces. A system of terraces connected by bridges will serve as a stage for large-scale performances and events.
Naturally, a green park must have an ecological footprint. The former refinery was designed to be energy neutral, and will contribute to the city's energy grid by using the surfaces of the structures as energy generators. All that will be collected will find outlets to power vehicles and devices in special "photovoltaic points".
It's nice to see pieces of the future flourish on the ruins of a "primitive" civilization like the fossil one. I find it romantic. Of course, every era has what it deserves: in the Middle Ages they built palaces around archaeological remains. Today we have to do it around eco-monsters. That's okay, though. It gives us the feeling that yes, maybe we can improve.
