A ceramicist in Shanghai has made a once-derelict warehouse a new atelier thanks to Archi-Union Architects.
The building was (quite appropriately) a former brick-and-concrete factory that now features an additional floor featuring slats of timber, and a translucent polycarbonate greenhouse-like structure on one end that encases a wooden staircase. These extensions provide ample space for the ceramicist to have not only a place to work, but also an exhibition space, reception area, and patio.
Slats of red cedar stripe the outer facade of the top floor, creating both a screen and lightening effect, diminishing some of the concrete extension’s heft and preventing it from overtaking the original brick structure underneath it. The slats also allow light from the inside of the building to shine outward in a lantern-like way.
The atelier’s stone and concrete interior and exterior structure features an austere but atmospheric grey hue, which is offset by the pale tint of the natural wood floors, and new windows that open up the space to natural light.
The atelier is located within the Wuwei Creative Industry Park, where Archi-Union also has its offices.