Kingway Brewery Renovation by URBANUS: Reviving Shenzhen’s Industrial Heritage into a Cultural Landmark

The Kingway Brewery Renovation by MENG YAN | URBANUS is a transformative urban regeneration project in Shenzhen, China, completed in 2022. Once a hub of industrial production and collective memory, the site has been reborn as a vibrant cultural and exhibition space. Through adaptive reuse, URBANUS preserves the spirit of Shenzhen’s pioneering past while shaping a new identity for its urban future.

Preserving Industrial Heritage

URBANUS believes that industrial sites are more than obsolete factories—they are living archives of collective memory. The Kingway Brewery, once a household name in Shenzhen, symbolized the dreams of migrants who came to the city during China’s reform era. Instead of treating it as a relic of consumption, the design reactivates its industrial architecture and reimagines it as a public cultural platform.

The design concept, “making on-site,” preserves original aesthetics while creating new urban narratives. By integrating history, spatial interventions, and contemporary functions, the project ensures that Shenzhen’s industrial past continues to inspire new generations.

Site Transformation and Spatial Strategy

The brewery once spanned a rectilinear site of 11,600 square meters, with scattered industrial structures. URBANUS consolidated these remnants through three key strategies:

1. Integration – Unifying fragmented buildings into a coherent urban sequence.
2. Plugging In – Inserting new structures and pathways into existing forms.
3. Intervention – Carving out courtyards, exhibition zones, and public squares.

The elevated plinth, rising 1.65–3 meters above street level, was transformed into an exhibition platform. Featuring outdoor gardens, courtyards, and passageways, it creates a dynamic narrative along a 266-meter-long urban street that connects south and north plazas.

Architectural Highlights

Building A – The Observation Tower

A symbolic Mnemosyne landmark, echoing the memory of a demolished water tower, greets visitors at the south square with panoramic urban views.

Building B – Wastewater Pool & Exhibition Hall

The sealed wastewater pool was uncovered, exposing raw concrete surfaces. A 300 m² metal exhibition hall with foamed aluminum cladding crowns the structure, harmonizing with its industrial base.

Building C – Aeration Tank

The aeration tank’s exposed form now hosts a glowing aluminum structure, reminiscent of beer bubbles rising—merging symbolism with architecture.

Sedimentation Tank Garden

An 18-meter-diameter concrete shell has been transformed into a secret scenic garden, with aerial walkways and peek-through concrete walls offering visitors a spatial journey through memory.

Building D – Fermentation Tanks

The most iconic structure, with 33 stainless steel fermentation tanks, was reimagined:

• D1: Auditorium with multi-functional use.
• D2/D3: Exhibition spaces with preserved tanks and a new bar.
• D4: Open-air rooftop theater within former silos.
• D5: Yeast line converted into display/resting areas, topped by a red-tiled steel box with panoramic views.

Each intervention redefines the industrial legacy into an interactive cultural experience.

Cultural and Urban Impact

The renovated brewery became the main venue of the 9th Shenzhen-Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture (UABB) in 2022. Hosting exhibitions such as Making On Site and Space/Time Agency, the project immediately positioned itself as a living landmark of culture, art, and community engagement.

As Shenzhen’s urban core shifts westward, the renewal of Luohu District through this project provides a model for balancing rapid modernization with heritage conservation.

The Kingway Brewery Renovation by URBANUS is a masterpiece of adaptive reuse and industrial heritage regeneration. It preserves Shenzhen’s cultural identity while offering new spaces for art, exhibitions, and public life. By celebrating memory and innovation, the project bridges the past and future—ensuring that the legacy of Shenzhen’s pioneering spirit continues to inspire.

All photographs are works of TAL, Kangyu Hu