Rebirth from the fire

About The Entry

The Yaohai District of Hefei was once an important heavy industry manufacturing base in Anhui Province and the birthplace of Hefei's urban industrial civilization. Decades of heavy industry have brought severe damage to the environment and ecology of the area. There is now an urgent need to reuse the abandoned factories and restore the site's ecology.

The site is located in the steelmaking section of the Mahe Steel Factory, characterised by dense industrial structures and a strong industrial identity. The project aims to create a green wedge that connects the site to the ecological area to the south, forming a link between the city and the former industrial landscape.

Soil remediation and phytoremediation are used to absorb industrial contaminants from the soil. Submerged wetlands form a cascading system that filters pollutants discharged from the industrial buildings. Existing industrial structures are preserved and renovated to convey the site's industrial heritage, while vertical greenery on the building façades softens their presence and enhances accessibility.