Space for art: the 798 district

I'm counting down the days till my trip to China. Beijing had left a very strong impression on me when I stayed there for a work trip, and I'm very excited to go back, even if it's just for a day. There's one place in particular that had become a favourite haunt of mine: it seems that one of Beijing's best kept secrets is the 798 art zone.

After three weeks of absorbing China's millennial civilisation and traditional art/architecture, I was eager to explore China's outlook on the world through the lens of contemporary and critical artists. A quick internet search pointed at the promised land for contemporary art: the 798 art zone.

The art zone is essentially an old industrial complex that's been retrofitted as art galleries, coworking spaces and vibrant new cafés and restaurants. In the 1950s, (East) Germans were commissioned to build this massive industrial area, to supply Mao's war efforts. They did so, designing and constructing a vast machinery of chimneys, factories, columns and checkpoints. Over the years the industrial complex was abandoned... and reclaimed by the growing community of contemporary artists and entrepreneurs.

Now it houses a series of amazing places. The vibe is fantastic and could give Shoreditch a run for its money. On one hand, you experience the slight shiver by dint of being in a place that's seen such (grim) history. If you've seen Stalker, you'll know the sense of cold alien otherness that can be linked to a place with a slightly dark history. At the same time, there is a fantastic hum in the air with the youthful irreverent vibe of the place.

It's a place where steampunk meets hipster. The vestiges of the military past are incorporated into entrepreneurs' and artists' interpretations for the future. Occasionally you'll stumble on jets of steam or sculptures tucked into nooks and crannies...

It's a lil bit far out, but it's entirely worth it. I went back three times over the course of a week because there was always something new to discover, a new gallery I'd missed, a sneaky artwork or sculpture merged into the military decor.

My ideal day would start with looking around the place. First I went to one of the factory floors. Completely emptied, but the walls were still daubed with the fading red prints of Mao's slogans ...

After this, you move on to the exhibitions. I wish I had pictures of the galleries, but most of them didn't allow pictures and I didn't want to be that person... who took pictures without really absorbing (or pretending to absorb) the art. I did snap some of Yoko Ono's "Golden Ladders" exhibition. I won't pretend I understood what I was seeing.

You'll also find interactive things, such as this beautiful wish tree.

There's a lot of walking, but there are also plenty of spots where you can chill. I get a kick from seeing nature and flowers blend with the harsh backdrop of steel and rust and brick.

There are also numerous hip cafés and bars that Shoreditch hipsters would lust over. I stopped by a cute little place called "Precious Moments", just next to the disused rail tracks. It was a conservatory-meets-resto, with thousands of plant species carefully arranged into the place. After the polluted air of Beijing, my lungs were thankful for the fresh air being produced by these lovely plants!

I hope it's still open, so I can visit again.

There is a gorgeous living mural upstairs (and an orchid mural too).

A hipster's paradise (who serves Sauvignon Blanc in jugs?).

The tables are also greenhouses.

The beer on tap is concealed by a curtain of creepers.

I was in deperate need of coffee.

It turned up like this. I may have just won the #tablescape hashtag.

Sadly the coffee itself was too sweet for my liking, but the croissant was one of the best I've had: it came with two scoops of icecream. I mean, seriously, why haven't I come across ice-cream croissants before?

The matcha ice-cream was perfect. It's an acquired taste, but sandwiched between the flaky, buttery layers of croissant, it was smooth, creamy and refreshing (instead of tasting like grass.) It's like grown-up ice-cream.

NOM.

Done with precious moments, it was time to head back to the hotel. Once it gets dark, Zone 978 can feel a bit eerie... Galleries close by 6pm and the streets feel a bit deserted. Patrons head for the multiple restaurants there and you can catch final bits of cheeky sculptures, twinkling fairy lights, and some pretty amazing street food before you head back.