Jinsha Winery Cultural Tourism Complex: Where Tradition Meets Modern Architecture

A New Landmark in Guizhou’s Liquor Culture

Nestled in the scenic upper reaches of the Chishui River Basin, the Jinsha Winery Cultural Tourism Complex represents a groundbreaking integration of industrial heritage, cultural tourism, and architectural innovation. Designed by hyperSity Architects, the complex is located in Dashuiling, Jinsha County, Guizhou Province, adjacent to Huanghe Avenue and the production area of the Jinsha Liquor Factory.

Situated in the golden liquor-making belt at 27° north latitude, with altitudes ranging from 800–1,100 meters, the project covers a total land area of 95 mu (approximately 63 hectares), with Phase I occupying 70 mu and Phase II 25 mu. Originally established in 1963 as the Dashui State-owned Farm, the site evolved from a self-sufficient "planting + breeding + processing" model into a shantytown, before being revitalized as a cultural tourism hub.

Transforming Liquor Production into a Cultural Experience

Jinsha Liquor has redefined its brand strategy by embracing the “deep integration of liquor production and cultural tourism experience”. Moving from “selling liquor” to “selling a lifestyle,” the winery now offers visitors a holistic experience combining heritage, craftsmanship, and leisure.

The former supply and marketing cooperative auditorium has been restored as a liquor culture exhibition hall, while other scattered brick-wood structures have been upgraded, preserving historical aesthetics while adding modern functionality.

Architectural Approach: Grid, Garden, and Heritage

The design strategy positions the site as a “cultural tourism complex in the factory front area”, anchored by a garden-style liquor factory. This approach enhances the microenvironment for liquor-brewing microorganisms and eliminates the industrial feel of traditional factories.

Within the 70-mu core area, a controlling grid divides the site into units, ensuring that all areas are within a one-minute walk. Fixed functions such as the museum and brewing technology demonstration areas are complemented by flexible spaces for temporary events. Remarkably, the grid layout reflects the “12987” brewing process—one-year production cycle, two feedings, nine steamings, eight fermentations, and seven extractions—blending function with symbolic meaning.

Core Buildings and Spatial Connectivity

The complex features four core buildings:

1. Exhibition Center – Restored in the original style to maintain historical character.
2. Museum – Geometrically reconstructed with seamless indoor-outdoor corridors and courtyards.
3. Experience Center – Designed with large courtyards enclosing smaller ones for interactive visitor engagement.
4. R&D Center – Vertically stacked into a “mountain-like” form with atriums and sky corridors to encourage collaboration.

These buildings achieve three key connections:

• Production and Experience: Transparent corridors allow visitors to observe light production processes.
• Industry and City: Green spaces and public squares open the site to the local community.
• Enterprise and Public: Regular sauce-flavored liquor popular science activities engage visitors directly with the craft.

Preserving History While Embracing Modernity

Inspired by the site’s original single-story blue-brick brick-wood residential buildings, the architectural philosophy follows “preservation – abstraction – extension – stacking”:

• Preservation: The Exhibition Hall retains its historical essence.
• Abstraction: The Museum uses geometric forms to reinterpret traditional layouts.
• Extension: The Experience Center expands spatial interaction via nested courtyards.
• Stacking: The R&D Center creates a vertical landscape, blending architecture with nature.

The project transforms the traditional image of a liquor factory from a closed industrial space into an interactive cultural and leisure destination.

Integrating Liquor Culture into Daily Life

By connecting liquor production, cultural display, and public leisure, the Jinsha Winery Cultural Tourism Complex transcends typical tourism experiences. It revitalizes historical architecture, showcases the region’s unique brewing advantages, and provides a brand window for Jinsha Liquor, all while enriching Guizhou’s urban cultural infrastructure. This innovative project exemplifies how industrial heritage can be transformed into a living cultural landmark

All photographs are works of Weiqi Jin