Carrie Art and Design Journal: 2010 art space in factory 798 Beijing 798艺术区2010艺术空间 by Thanlab Office

798 art zone in Dashanzi area Beijing is the first well known artist village in Beijing, converted from government owned military 798 factory which oringinally produced electronics and abandoned for a period of time. Artist studios started to occupied the space in 2002 followed by galleries, art centres, cafes and restaurants. While 798 becomes more popular as a tourist sight seeing spot, the rent was going up and more formal and commercialize art galleries and companies replaced the artist studios.
"2010 Arts Space" is one of the new comer in 798, its new building is designed by architect and professor Han Tao (韩涛) design studio "Thanlab Office". The Building is a three-storey exhibition space in cube form with cut in space to form entrances and opening and allow daylight to entry into each levels. A tree branches concept is served both the building structure; also formed and defined the building internal space. The holly branches design enables natural light to wash down the levels while providing lines of sight to different zones. The tops of the arms puncture through to the roof, remaining open to the sun to provide an ideal condition for the exhibition rooms, extensive light studies were
conducted which also determined the permeability of the facade.
The building layered in three main programs of the facility and stacked on top of eachother as storeys, with ground floor as the exhibition space, second floor as administrative and services, and third floor as studioes. using a tree-like structure, the separate zones were intermixed and integrated throughout the building, while simultaneously subdividing the static geometry of the floors. the result is a multi-level structure that overlaps and associates both art and commercial spaces together.

External View of 2010 art space (sources: thanlab office)

First level Exhibition Space (sources: thanlab office)

Second Level (sources: thanlab office)

(sources: thanlab office)

Third Floor Light Tube (sources: thanlab office)

Day Light Study at different time of a day (clockwise from top left) 6:00 am, 9:00 am, 12:00 pm, 3:00 pm (sources: thanlab office)

subdivide the space in to a tree structure to let sunlight in and provide views out (sources: thanlab office)

within the tree: art space
outside the tree: commercial space (sources: thanlab office)

Study Model of tree geometry (sources: thanlab office)

First Level Layout Plan (sources: thanlab office)

Second Level Floor Plan (sources: thanlab office)

Third Level Floor Plan (sources: thanlab office)

Light Tubes Layout (sources: thanlab office)

Section (sources: thanlab office)

schematic diagram - stacking of uses and programs
(pink) guest room
(blue) art agency office / restaurant
(green) art exhibition space (sources: thanlab office)


schematic diagram - distribute the exhibiting spaces throughout the building by puncturing through the different levels (pink) guest room (blue) art agency office / restaurant (green) art exhibition space (sources: thanlab office)

schematic diagram - tree structure translated to the facade treatment
(pink) guest room
(blue) art agency office / restaurant
(green) art exhibition space (sources: thanlab office)