Adaptive Reuse of Industrial Heritage with Cultural-creative Industry

Abstract

This research aimed to explore the adaptive reuse pattern of the industrial heritage in the 798 Art District. It looks at how the relatively mature Cultural-creative industry links to urban regeneration activities, and what can be learnt from the redevelopment experience. In particular, it explores the role of the Cultural-creative industry and how it used the local industrial heritage to achieve the current layout and operation model of 798 art district. The adaptive reuse model of industrial heritage and the cultural–creative industry is assessed, the current issues and some targeted suggestions of 798 Art District are identified. During the historical evolution, the combination of the deserted urban land and the Cultural-creative industry worked as a successful redevelopment model. Although several studies have summarized of the development history of 798 Art District and its significant role in urban land and art markets, there has been little research on the role of creative class and industrial heritage in art districts and local tourism. This research will first provide literature review looking at the definition and development process of the Cultural-creative industry, the conservation and reuse of industrial heritage and the real-life cases of the reuse of industrial heritage in China. Then, the in-depth quantitative and qualitative methods are used to examine the development trajectory and characteristics of Beijing 798 Art District, the visitors’ tourist experience and the role of industrial heritage at the site. Ultimately, the discussion part will provide the comparison between 798 Art Districts with contemporaneous cases of industrial heritage reusing, and provide some recommendations to future development and operation.