Local rendering of Cultural and Creative Park (Picture provided by interviewee)

Cultural and creative park full of military atmosphere

A row of factory buildings and large chimneys can be seen along the Beibin Road. (Picture provided by interviewee)

Painted factory building is more vivid.

Colored drawing on the wall

CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- The old factory buildings of Chang'an Company, located at 2rd Village, Dashiba, Jiangbei District, will soon become the "Foreign Artillery Bureau 1862" Cultural and Creative Park. The first phase of the project started this month, and will be completed at the beginning of next year.

A - Unique "military" style

Through the Jiahua Bridge and constructed section of Hongyancun Bridge, there are two abandoned chimneys with 30-meter height attracting people’s attentions.

Two arsenals used to be here. One is the 21st Arsenal and its predecessor can be traced back to the Shanghai Foreign Artillery Bureau founded by the Qing Government in 1862, which is not only the first industrial enterprise in modern Chinese history, but also the earliest arsenal in China. It is renamed as Chang'an Machinery Factory after the founding of the People's Republic of China. Another one is the 10th Arsenal and is renamed as Jiangling Machinery Factory after the founding of the People's Republic of China. The two factories merged into the Chang’an company in 1994.

Walking into the area of old factory, you can feel the a unique " military " style. Planes, bicycles, motorcycles and other patterns are painted on the walls of abandoned factories on both sides of the road. The mechanical curves on the pattern make the factory with artistic atmosphere at once.

The "Foreign Artillery Bureau 1862" Cultural and Creative Park will be built here.

B - 6 sections in the park

The planning director of "Foreign Artillery Bureau 1862" Cultural and Creative Park said: "The first phase of the project started this month mainly for renovation of the old factory. The original main structures of all ancient buildings will be retained. The project is planned to be completed at the beginning of next year." The two chimneys will be protected and consolidated. After the renovation, to add some lighting effects and cultural and creative elements, the two chimneys will become the landmark.

There is only one old road entering in Foreign Artillery Bureau 1862 from Beibin Road, so three new entrances will be opened on Beibin Road to the park. The whole project is divided into 6 sections: Exhibition Area, Military Culture Area, Fashion Music Area, Air-Raid Shelter Memory Area, Characteristic Residential Area, Harbor Leisure Area. There are ordnance museums, theaters, riverside business and other formats. The Zhongshutuo Wharf, which is directly accessible to the park, will build a large yacht wharf. And it will be integrated into the Chaotianmen-Ciqikou river route. (Translated by Jiang Yuling, Fathom Language Limited)