The old factory site in Guangming District has been transformed into an Internet-famous cultural and creative park.

Once the largest sugar factory in the past, an old factory site in Guangming District has been transformed into an Internet-famous cultural and creative park.

The first batch of spaces in the Guangming Old Sugar Factory Cultural and Creative Park have now opened to the public, Bao'an Daily reported.

In the 1980s, Guangming Sugar Factory was the largest sugar manufacturing base in Shenzhen and became a local star enterprise. At that time, the factory's annual production of refined sugar was around 200 cubic tons, which later increased to 350 cubic tons, creating a glorious golden era for the factory. However, due to the decline in sugar prices, the factory gradually declined and finally ceased production in 1993. In the following decades, the old sugar factory presented a desolate scene with its corrugated iron buildings, old chimneys and broken glass.

In 2021, the factory site was included in the "Shenzhen Urban Purple Line Planning," which would receive protection and renovation under the law.

The Purple Line Planning proposed construction activities within the scope of protecting historical buildings in Shenzhen, aiming to preserve, restore and maintain the core value elements of historical architecture, including the preservation of surviving historical relics.

Today, the old sugar factory has transformed into a popular tourist attraction known as the Guangming Old Sugar Factory Cultural and Creative Park.

Located in Cuihu Community, Guangming Subdistrict, the park includes the factory's main building, five warehouses and a central activity square. It gathers cultural industries with photography as the main theme and diversified lifestyle brands.

The park has adopted the concept of "preserving tradition while embracing innovation" and revitalizes the abandoned spaces of the old sugar factory and nearby grain factories. It preserves the original appearance of some factory buildings while injecting "fresh blood" into the aging site. It introduces trendy tea shops, creative coffee shops, restaurants, photography services and more, giving the park an artistic and cultural atmosphere. The park is not only suitable for leisure, tourism and photography, but also serves as a sightseeing and photo opportunity.

In June 2023, the first batch of spaces in the Guangming Old Sugar Factory Cultural and Creative Park opened to the public, accommodating merchants such as VIVA Sugar Photography Base, PAN Children's Photography, AND C TIME, OT Coffee, YIKCHOR Factory Bar and Old Sugar Factory Chicken Pot.

Walking into the park, visitors can not only see the original factory's old buildings, which give it a unique industrial feel or rustic charm, but also experience the meticulously planned modern artistic decoration style. 

Old walls and rusty chimney make strong statements, while still adapting well to contemporary interior design and modern home decor. The revamped industrial spaces work great as combined work and studio spaces. 

Huang Zhicong, the person in charge of the cultural and creative park, said that the park still retains one-third of the old buildings. He hopes to integrate the old buildings into new elements, creating a combination of "culture and commerce" and becoming a new cultural business card for Guangming.

"We integrate art, nature, culture and commerce, and try to create a rare sense of balance, balancing cultural memory with urban life, and art with commerce," Huang said.

Huang also revealed that to revitalize the park, new business models related to the "night economy" will be introduced. The park will become a new landmark for Guangming's night economy, gradually becoming an attraction for young people in the district.

Liao Lifeng, the owner of VIVA Sugar, told Bao'an Daily that he was attracted by the architectural style of the 1980s. As a major client of the park, Liao's photography base occupies a large part of of the park's space. With a 200-meter outdoor space and five different styles of photography scenes, it brings a new artistic space for photography enthusiasts.

Xiaoyu, owner of AND C TIME, grew up in Guangming and used to play near the old sugar factory with friends in her childhood. She said it resonates with the nostalgia of old Guangming, and as soon as she heard about the investment opportunity here, she moved from the more conveniently located central area. The combination of old and new architectural styles, pastoral floral artworks, abundant greenery and a calm environment are appealing to her customers who come for afternoon tea, wandering around and taking photos.

After relocation, AND C TIME has a larger space, providing not only simple dining but also being the perfect choice for birthday parties, refreshments and afternoon tea gatherings.