MAT office revitalizes historic 1950s brick kiln in beijing preserving its arched facade

MAT office takes over Brickkiln Lane restoration project

MAT Office has revitalized a historic 1950s brick kiln in Beijing, transforming it into a multifunctional urban public space while preserving its original facade. The Brickkiln Lane project, located in the former Beijing Brick and Tile Factory on Xisanqi Street, maintains the cultural heritage of the site, which played a crucial role in the city’s development by supplying black bricks and clay bricks for significant projects such as the State Council and the ‘Top Ten Buildings in Beijing.’

The design strategy involved enhancing the building’s structural integrity while adapting it for contemporary use. The original circular kiln road, with its 150-meter length and 54 arched door openings, served as the main space for brick burning. The kiln’s central chimney, connected to a main flue, efficiently managed smoke and heat.

To address the low internal vault height, the design lowers the building floor by 2 meters, creating a double-height space and a sunken front square connected to the urban road by landscaped terraces. Damaged vaults are replaced with reinforced concrete walls, supporting the original brick arches and forming the new kiln body’s interior. An umbrella-shaped concrete structure with steel beams forms a new roof, allowing for partial mezzanines and enhancing spatial height.

all images by Jin Weiqi unless stated otherwise

1950s Brick Kiln Transforms into Multifunctional Urban Space

The renovation retains the brick kiln’s overall shape, converting the original 54 door openings into exterior doors and windows. A black curved steel plate at the main entrance provides contemporary functionality and aesthetic appeal. The kiln door buttresses are transformed into hollow walls, preserving the original bricklaying details.

The roof terrace extends outdoor activity space, accessible from multiple points, while the central chimney hall becomes a high-ceiling exhibition and public activity area. A transparent glass roof and V-shaped aluminum plate ceiling enhance natural lighting, creating an art museum-like ambiance. A lightweight staircase spirals around the chimney, leading to the roof terrace and offering intriguing spatial interactions.

Corridors in the building’s wings feature continuous arches, creating rhythmic light patterns. Skylights in the corridor walls bring in ample light and serve as smoke exhausts. A cantilevered steel bridge connects the functional spaces, integrating the building’s arc wall into the spatial design.

The renovation expands the brick kiln’s main body downward, enhancing its urban facade and forming a sunken landscape that naturally divides the site into horizontal and vertical zones. This transformation provides diverse public leisure spaces, integrating regional historical memory and urban community life. Brickkiln Lane project by MAT Office blends historical significance, landscape space, and community sentiments, revitalizing the Xisanqi urban area and showcasing the cultural and social value of industrial heritage.

MAT Office revitalizes a 1950s brick kiln in Beijing, preserving its original facade | image by UCD

Brickkiln Lane transforms the former Beijing Brick and Tile Factory on Xisanqi Street | image by UCD

the project maintains the cultural heritage of a site vital to Beijing’s development | image by UCD

the original circular kiln road, with its 54 arched door openings, is retained | image by UCD

reinforced concrete walls replace damaged vaults, supporting the original brick arches

the renovation converts original door openings into exterior doors and windows

an umbrella-shaped concrete structure with steel beams forms a new roof

a lightweight staircase spirals around the chimney, leading to the roof terrace

a transparent glass roof and V-shaped aluminum plate ceiling enhance natural lighting

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project info:

name: Brickkiln Lane

architect: MAT Office

schematic design: MAT Office

design development: UCD, MAT Office

construction documentation: UCD

design team MAT Office: Tang Kangshuo, Zhang Miao, Liu Youpeng, He Ningyan, Tan Xiaodan, Chen Tianyi, Qin Yunfei (drawing)

design team UCD: XU Ning, YU Dongzhi, LI Dongmei, GE Guodong

built area: 5068 sqm

location: Sisanqi Street, Haidian District, Beijing

photography: Jin Weiqi, UCD

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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom