Atmospheric art

The unique architecture has been very well preserved, and its large expanses of warehouses once cleared of equipment provide the perfect setting for flexible spaces such as galleries and event halls.

One of Redtory's most unusual features is that it wears its past with pride.

Container boxes once used to transport canned goods are reincarnated as stand-alone small stores. Canning equipment, salvaged and thoughtfully repositioned as sculpture in key spots within buildings or to welcome visitors, reinforce the area's connection with its past.

"The government wanted to sell these originally," Wong says. "We kept them and placed them where appropriate."

In addition, street names refer to the area's past, with main arteries Refrigeration Street and Can Street being serviced by intersecting Thaw, Workshop and Stove streets.

Wong and her colleagues handpicked a diverse mixture of local, regional and international artists and designers for Redtory.

The curators place a strong emphasis on the synergy between artists and designers to foster a community of talent. Newsday, for example, is one of China's largest architectural firms specializing in hotel design with its studio in one of Redtory's factories.

"Less than 10 percent are shops or cafes," Wong says. "We select tenants very carefully so that they can support the artists and designers working here."

For Hanging Garden Art Cafe, the raw industrial lighting was kept in situ from when the site was a factory to retain a fragment of its ambience. It adds an extra dimension to the space's large windows, enhanced by well-worn hardwood floors and gun metal chairs.

Due to Guangzhou's proximity to Hong Kong, Redtory not only attracts collaborations with Hong Kong artists and designers, but also Hong Kong entrepreneurs. Hong Kong's David Tsui recently opened Alive, a bar that does double duty as a performance space.

With more than 100 creative organizations currently employing 2,000 people, Redtory shows no signs of slowing down as southern China's burgeoning cultural hub.

Contact the writer at sundayed@chinadaily.com.cn.