In a world battling fossil fuel addiction, every fuel factory that closes is a small step towards a greener future. But what happens once a smokestack, or an entire oil refinery, is knocked down? Hangzhou, China has found the answer.
A former oil refinery in the Chinese city is about to be transformed into a stunning complex that includes a green park, an art and science museum, office buildings, retail outlets 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's project to transform industrial sites into social spaces for the community. And God only knows how much it is needed in one of the countries listed as one of the world's main polluters.
Green Refinery, come to me
Leading the project is the famous architecture firm MVRDV, an old acquaintance of our site. Take a look to some previous work, we love these guys. The firm's architects plan to retain some of the larger structures, transforming the smaller silos into engaging 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, created from a gigantic 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 as artistic studios, offices and commercial spaces. A system of terraces connected by bridges will serve as a stage for large-scale performances and events.
Of course, 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 structures' surfaces as energy generators. All that is collected will find outlets to power vehicles and devices in special "photovoltaic points".
It is beautiful 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 ecomonsters. That's okay, though. It gives us the feeling that yes, maybe we can improve.
