Location: Beijing, China.

Architect: TAO | Trace Architecture Office.

The Lens Office in Beijing is a restoration project that aims to reconcile the old and new by presenting the trace of time through spatial sequence and materials. The building, which was originally a warehouse built in 1958, features a large span pitched roof supported by wood trusses and iron joints. The design strategy involves rearranging the interior with spatial diversity and flexibility, using dark steel panels to integrate with the original site-specific and bring new life. The interior space is divided into several rooms with different scales by a central bookshelf corridor, which connects the public and private space and conducts human activities to the spatial fellow. The book gallery in the center of the building is constructed with bookshelves to rebuild rituality that is fading away from modern life but still corresponds to the cultural identity of Lens. The exhibition space is enclosed by revolving steel wall panels, which are both working as partition walls and exhibition boards for art works. The openings are corresponding to interior spaces, and the windows are able to capture the exterior landscape without any structural distractions. The project successfully creates a pleasant office atmosphere with natural light and a sense of peace and tranquility.

Photo credit: Chen Hao.