Transforming An Industrial site into A Holistic Urben Regeneration

Project: CRB Tech-Innovative City
Location: Shenzhen, China
Client: CR Land and CR Snow Beer
Masterplanner and Design Architect: Aedas
Serviced Apartment Architect: HHD
LDl: SZAD and A+E Design
Brewery Factory Architect: GDE Engineering
Interior Design: AlM Architecture (Retail street), M Moser Associates (Headquarters & R&D), Anyscale (M0 & M1 towers, Showroom)
Lighting Design: BPl
Façade Consultant: Dadi Façade and Xinshan Façade
Landscape Design: Landworks and HOPE
Tfraffic Consultant: Arup
Signage Design: Liangxiang
Art consultant: UAP
Branding Strategy and Visual Design: Studio Asystem (Retail street)
Museum Curation: BRC Imagination Arts and Suzhou Heshi Design

Completion Year: 2025
Design Directors: Kevin Wang, Global Design Principal; Keith Griffiths, Founder and Chairman
Photography: Seilao Jiong, Kris Provoost

Once a symbol of Bao’an district’s rich industrial legacy, the former brewery factory stood silent amid the tides of economic transformation. Now, under the visionary design leadership of Aedas Global Design Principal Kevin Wang and Founder and Chairman Keith Griffiths, the landmark site is being thoughtfully reimagined as a vibrant, high-density community. The revitalised development promises to infuse the area with enduring social, cultural, and economic vitality, setting a new benchmark for urban regeneration.

Kevin and Keith say ‘Our design revitalises industrial heritage by transforming silos into vibrant cultural landmarks and opening the site into a dynamic community space. This approach blends urban history with contemporary life, creating a sustainable model where living, culture, and commerce thrive together.’

Transformation from industrial site to vibrant beer culture community

Q: How does the regeneration of an industrial site inject vitality for the city from an architectural design perspective?

The architectural transformation of the former factory reimagines the site as a vibrant community, blending beer-themed retail, innovative production spaces, and dynamic streetscapes. Landmark headquarters and craft breweries are integrated to create a lively urban environment that celebrates industrial heritage and contemporary design within the Greater Bay Area.

An Urban Retreat that Restores Human Connection
In the face of fast‑paced urban life, the growing pursuit of relaxation and emotional resonance has become increasingly evident. How can a place deeply rooted in beer culture leverage its inherent identity to respond to contemporary public aspirations?

The design reimagines the site as a ‘breathing beer town’, integrating walkable streets, open courtyards, and public squares. The design blurs the boundaries between work and leisure, infusing industrial heritage with contemporary spaces to create a vibrant, 24-hour urban destination.

Breathing New Life into Industrial Heritage

Amid the wave of urban renewal, how can industrial heritage avoid becoming static, evolving from historic artefacts into cultural symbols capable of sustainable growth?

The project redefines industrial heritage as an active spatial asset. Key fermentation silos are preserved and transformed into a Beer Museum, while a modern craft brewery complements the historic structures. Transparent façades and elevated walkways reveal the brewing process, creating a dynamic architectural experience that blends preservation with innovation.

Architectural Form and Materials

How can architecture articulate a ‘brewing’ narrative — from industrial production to urban life — through façade articulation and material detailing, transforming austere structures into spaces of human warmth?

The architectural design draws inspiration from the iconic fermentation tanks. The tower’s form and vertical details evoke the original stainless-steel silos, while podium and production buildings reinterpret industrial motifs with metal tubes and corrugated surfaces. Warm materials like beige stone and red brick are layered throughout, introducing a welcoming atmosphere and forging a connection between industrial legacy and vibrant urban life.

A Beacon Landmark at the Confluence of Mountain, Sea, and City

How can a landmark building be shaped with both contextual identity and regional leadership, becoming a gateway that activates urban vitality?

The Headquarters stands as a striking vertical landmark at Bao'an’s northern gateway. Featuring curved and linear façade elements reminiscent of a ‘Snowflake grain silo’, the tower blends industrial heritage with modern form. A dramatic 50m high, column-free sky lobby enclosed by a curved glass façade offers sweeping mountain and sea views, establishing the building as a beacon for the district’s future.

An All Weather, Breathing Urban Garden

In high density urban environments, how can commercial efficiency be balanced with human centred design, allowing public space to become a vibrant yet warm framework for urban life?

The public space is reimagined as an ‘urban garden’ that brings warmth and vitality to the urban environment. Three distinct plazas, featuring recreation, celebration, and craft beer, form a flexible network for diverse events, seamlessly connecting to create a dynamic, breathing oasis within the city.

Architectural features such as shaded seating, interactive water elements, and open lawns encourage spontaneous gatherings and active participation, transforming the space into an adaptable civic stage for everyday life. This design creates a resilient public realm, where open and sustainable spaces foster community and ongoing urban renewal.

The transformation of CRB Tech-Innovative City celebrates Shenzhen’s urban evolution by blending industrial heritage with innovative architectural design. The project features forms and materials that connect the site’s history to a vibrant urban future, resulting in a dynamic cluster where architecture bridges past and present, creating spaces that foster community and enrich city life.