The rustic charm of a deserted steel plant
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CRI, December 8, 2011
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The plant is a popular background for photography fans fascinated by its nostalgic appearance. [Photo:Timeout] |
With a reputed history of over 90 years, the Shougang steel plant, located in the Shijingshan district of western Beijing, used to be filled with the roar of heavy-weight machines and the bustle of over ten thousand workers. This was until 2010, when a relocation project hauled most of the factory's equipment and staff to Tangshan city, Hebei province.
Today, the deserted industrial zone which encompasses some 70 hectares of land has found a new purpose.
In the one year since the plant was evacuated, a successive number of film crews have made the once prosperous steel factory the background setting for their stories. For instance, the recently well received television series "You are my brother" was filmed on location here.
Some of the most frequently featured scenes in the complex are its giant smoking chimneys, rustic iron cargo trains and a small lake situated within the site.
The nostalgic touch of the plant also attracts photography fans that come for the lush golden ginkgo leaves during the autumn and the blossoming china roses in the spring.
The complex is so large, it used to have a shuttle bus and a public park complimented with pavilions and open squares. Currently free of entrance fee, citizens living nearby also use the plant as a center for relaxation. The plant is usually occupied by families with kids flying kites and elderly citizens doing morning exercises. The wide open space inside the plant is also favored by cyclists who spend whole days here after traveling from the downtown area of Beijing on weekends.
A movie filming base, a public recreation center and a cycling stadium; although none of these titles are official, the former steel plant has certainly not been forgotten by citizens or the government.
In a blueprint published by the Shijingshan district government, the Shougang steel plant is to be built into a creative base for China's emerging animation industry. As much as five million yuan will be invested in the project for which construction began back in 2010.
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