Former site of the production plant of Steel Relocation Committee, the theme exhibition area of Chongqing Industrial Museum

“Paradise of Steel” in the expo park

A four-axis milling machine exhibited in the theme exhibition area

An 8000 HP Twin Cylinder Horizontal Steam Prime Mover, weighing about 250 tons

CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- Since Chongqing Iron & Steel (Group) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Chongqing Steel”) has been relocated to Changshou District environmentally, as the former “steel city”, Dadukou gradually becomes less busy.

At Lizilin, Dadukou District, the former Chongqing Steel Section Plant area, several old plant buildings were preserved, surrounded by 3 chimneys with a height of over dozens of meters. The production plant of the former site plant of Chongqing Steel - Steel Plant Relocation Committee (hereinafter referred to as “Steel Relocation Committee”) is one of them. In 2013, as one part of former sites of Chongqing Anti-Japanese War Weapons Industry, it was declared as the seventh national key cultural relics protection units by the State Council.

The former Steel Relocation Committee production plant is the theme exhibition area of Chongqing Industrial Museum, which is a component of Chongqing Industrial Culture Expo Park (hereinafter referred to as “Expo Park”), which will be opened to the public in October after exhibition arrangement in July.

As a “national preservation” unit, this one built in 1940s comes to life when it’s 80 years old.

The plant is 107m long, 27m wide and 23m tall. A huge relief wall showing the steel production scene is presented to you when you enter it. The “1938” on the upper right and the “1945” on the lower left echoing from afar symbolize the seven years of Steel Relocation Committee in Chongqing.

The theme exhibition area, which has entered the commissioning stage, is called “Steel Soul”. “Steel Soul implies the soul of the nation, steel, the nation’s war of resistance and Chongqing Industry,” said He Zhiya, a project specialist of the Expo Park and a scholar on history and culture.

In fact, thanks to the proposal of He Zhiya in 2007, the then Chairman of Yufu Group, these old buildings, including the “national preservation” unit, can be survived. He said that parts of old plant buildings shall be preserved to construct an industrial museum when Chongqing Steel is relocated.

Relevant departments attached great importance to this proposal. After demonstration, the former Chongqing Steel Section Plant area became the site of the Expo Park, which covers an area of 152 mu, with the construction scale of 140,000 square meters.

Reconstruction

To transform old plant buildings into a modern museum 

As the former Steel Relocation Committee production plant became a “national preservation” unit, the repair of these old buildings drew much attention.

“The professional team specially design the repair plan for these buildings.” Jin Xin, the Vice President of Industrial Company of Yufu Group, introduced that when the scheme was established, the construction team repaired the plant from January 22, 2017 to May 11, 2018.

When you stand in front of the plant, you can see the purplish red steel plates and tall glass curtain wall blend into one, reflecting the combination of tradition and modern culture. When you enter the exhibition area, you can enjoy industrial atmosphere created by the atrovirens steel structure, earthy yellow ceilings and capacious space.

Ceilings in the exhibition area are covered by fir wood, quite primitive. Waterproof rolls, metal composite boards and other materials are used. Walls are added to the west and south facades to make the building closed.

Exploration

More possibilities to revitalize industrial relics

Nowadays, with the continuous adjustment of urban industrial structure, gradual decline of traditional industries, continuous expansion of urban scale and continuous relocation of industrial enterprises, to properly preserve industrial remains, protect valuable industrial relics has critical practical significance to preserve the memory of the city, extend the city’s life and meet the needs of high-quality emotions.

He Zhiya said that industrial relics were always ignored. Until the beginning of the 21st century, China began to pay attention to the revitalization of industrial relics. Since the 1960s, the academic communities of major industrialized countries in the west has set up industrial archaeological organizations to study and protect industrial relics.

Art & creative zones like Eling TESTBED 2 and Beicang in Chongqing are transformed from industrial plant buildings, attracting many visitors. Tian Qi, the Vice Professors of Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chongqing University, said that there are also many possibilities for the renovation of old industrial plant buildings. In addition to art & creative zones, these buildings can also be transformed into public stadiums, scientific research bases and other public places with particular purposes.

The person in charge of the Museum and Social Cultural Relics Office of Chongqing Municipal Culture and Tourism Committee said that a museum group, covering history, revolutionary, Anti-Japanese War, industry and nature are to be built in Chongqing. When the construction of the Expo Park is completed, it will become the bellwether of Chongqing museum group to promote the city cultural quality, and also an attraction of Chongqing urban tourism. (Translated by Mao Qiao, Fathom Language Limited)