A small brick and concrete structure near a BAISIHAN Goose Down factory in Zhejiang, China, has been given a new purpose by Chinese architecture studio, Greater Dog Architects. The unusual building, with a footprint of 5 by 7 metres, was originally a backup room for a substation on the site, linked to the factory. The transformation, which sees the substation re-envisioned as a tourist rest stop and souvenir store, complete with a protruding canopy and oversized pillar reminiscent of postmodernist aesthetics, will serve as a public space for the daily activities of tourists and customers.

The squat building’s design, meant to delight and amuse visitors, was conceived by the architects as a way to save on material and construction costs. Their intervention aimed to demonstrate how redevelopment can aid in urban infill projects. The striking form of the structure was achieved by extending the building’s original canopy, "bring[ing] a sculptural language to the building." According to the architects, this is meant to invoke the image of an abstract goose-foot. Truly confounding Robert Venturi’s conundrum of ducks and decorated sheds, the bright orange ceiling at the entrance canopy ensures the design for the tourist facility is anything but a bore.

The striking form with the pillar and face-like quality of the envelope suffuses the site of the tourist factory with a quirky sense of humour. The architects had to adhere to the client’s tight budget for the renovation, employing materials that were lightweight, easy to install, and durable. The façade design uses aluminium, a neutral grey textured paint, and orange-painted aluminium panels for a pop of colour. Apart from the bright orange, the building feels almost unassuming covered in beige. The vivid contrast in colour scheme is followed through in the interiors. The interior spaces are split into two levels, taking advantage of the 6.8m high ceiling of the former building, with a bar on the lower level and a tea lounge on the first. A new orange-painted steel staircase in the south corner links these two areas, acting as the visual anchor to the space.

The refurbishment project introduces small circular windows and a skylight, bathing the interiors in natural light, and lending a sense of lightness to the space. Combining the southeast-facing windows also helps in controlling the window-to-wall ratio, thus achieving more effective thermal insulation. Apart from the bar space and areas for relaxation, the flexible layout is intended to be used for display functions. This further emphasises the economy of space that guides the project. The compact space fits far more than is likely within its walls. While the structure makes it seem like the interiors will be quite humble, almost the opposite is true. The minimal, slate-clean interiors feel spacious because of the light material palette and connection to the outside, while the pop of orange adds an element of fun. The adaptive reuse strategy for the ‘decorated shed’ places as much value in a modest, rundown building as it does in a historic building.

While the facility seems incongruous within its bare landscape, it could be thought of almost as a prototype. The architects quote Carl Elefante in an official press release, espousing his philosophy of how “the greenest building is one that is already built." They elaborate saying, "Vacant buildings hold the potential for practical use, and architects need to implement appropriate renovation strategies under specific functional requirements to enhance the building's utility value in response to new demands, thereby extending the building's lifecycle.” Considerate redevelopment is the way forward, where even a backup room could become a ‘goose foot’.

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