Former Oil Refinery Turns Over New Leaf Into Green Park With Art, Science Museum

Every time a fossil-fuel factory shuts down, it’s another win for Mother Earth. But here comes a secondary problem: what should property owners do with all the defunct infrastructure that’s been left behind?

For one former oil refinery in Hangzhou, China, the gas-guzzling remnants of the site’s past will be soon transformed into an eco-friendly, green park that will be the new home to an art and science museum, office buildings, retailers, and other cultural offerings.

Dubbed the Hangzhou Oil Refinery Factory Park, the 45-acre mixed-used development will sit next to China’s Grand Canal, as part of the government’s overarching plan to repurpose its many waterfront industrial sites into social amenities for locals.

Architecture firm MVRDV is leading the project in collaboration with landscaper Openfabric. According to New Atlas, the designers plan to retain some of the larger structures onsite while turning the smaller silos into immersive art spaces and retail kiosks.

In the middle of the park will be its main highlight—a new Art and Sci-Tech Center—that will star as the masterpiece of the location. Crafted from an oversized glass oil silo, the façade of the building will be adorned with LEDs, creating a dynamic exterior that constantly changes.

As per Arch Daily, the museum’s interior will house a circular exhibition hall, while rectangular boxes will function as artists’ studios, offices, and commercial spaces. A special series of terraces, connected by bridges, will function as a stage for performances and large-scale events.

Of course, a green park has to come with eco-credentials. The site is designed to be energy-neutral and will contribute to the city’s energy grid by using the structures’ surfaces as energy generators that will use “photovoltaic spots” to pull power from sunlight.

“It is somehow, at the same time, tempting to make a clean break with history, and romantic to imagine a future where we build upon the ruins of the past,” explained MVRDV Founding Partner Winy Maas.

“With this project we do both: we incorporate the old industrial structures, while newly built elements—which are clearly distinguishable from the old—show us a better, more sustainable future.”

[via New Atlas and Arch Daily, images via MVRDV]