A groundbreaking architectural renovation project has transformed the abandoned Fanshan Alunite Mine in Lujiang, Hefei, China, into a vibrant cultural and tourism destination. FLIP Studio completed this 2,165-square-meter adaptive reuse project in 2025, breathing new life into an industrial heritage site that had been dormant for over two decades.

The Fanshan Alunite Mine holds profound historical significance as a once-powerful industrial center that ceased operations in 2001 following market decline in the 1990s. The closure left behind dilapidated factory buildings, crystallization ponds, and a deteriorating ecological environment. Over time, this historically valuable site with its unique spatial potential nearly faded into complete obscurity, threatening the loss of an important piece of China's industrial heritage.

FLIP Studio, led by architects Kailun Sun and Zhiming Wang, approached this challenging project with a comprehensive four-part strategy they termed "Conservation-Activation-Insertion-Regeneration." This innovative methodology aimed to transform the site from a passive object of historical contemplation into an active vessel for contemporary cultural life. The design team, including Zixuan Chen and Zhimai Zhang, worked closely with engineering firm Anhui City Comprehensive Design Institute and construction company Anhui Hongsen Construction Group to realize this ambitious vision.

The conservation phase formed the foundation of the entire project, with the architects treating the industrial remnants with archaeological precision and respect. They meticulously preserved the site's terraced landforms, circular pit relics, original timber frame trusses, and various industrial traces to the greatest extent possible. These preserved elements create a striking three-dimensional foundation that serves as the base for all subsequent architectural interventions, ensuring the site's historical authenticity remains intact.

The activation strategy reimagines the spatial experience through compelling narrative storytelling, using "crystals" - the core product of the original alunite mine - as a unifying design medium. The architects developed an elevated black boardwalk system that elegantly connects different areas of the site while minimizing disturbance to the original landforms. Throughout the space, they strategically placed exhibition displays, furniture, and lighting installations crafted from translucent materials including white translucent fiberglass, transparent acrylic tubes, and frosted colored glass. This creates an immersive experience where visitors feel as though they are walking through a three-dimensional poem celebrating light, minerals, and the passage of time.

The insertion phase introduces carefully selected contemporary programs designed to infuse the historic site with modern vitality and attract diverse audiences. The project sensitively integrated multiple innovative functions including a reception area, alunite-themed exhibitions, guided pit relic tours, an outdoor theater, a 1950s historical artifacts exhibition, and flexible activity spaces. The most iconic and successful adaptation is the transformation of a perfectly scaled circular pit into a unique "Pit Café" that has become the project's signature feature.

Visitors to the Pit Café descend into the circular depression via the elevated boardwalk system and find themselves seated beneath translucent circular lighting installations. With warm cups of coffee in hand, guests are surrounded by weathered pit walls that tell the story of the site's industrial past, creating a remarkable blend of historical preservation and contemporary comfort. This transformation represents a philosophical shift from viewing the pit as a distant historical "object" to experiencing it as an active "subject" of modern life.

The regeneration aspect of the project achieves both ecological and cultural revitalization, transforming the site into a comprehensive cultural landmark that combines exhibition, leisure, and educational functions. The design intervention extends beyond cultural renewal to incorporate meaningful ecological restoration initiatives. Some of the larger pits have been repurposed to recreate the original crystallization process using actual alunite crystals, while others house structurally independent café seating areas. Additional pits feature indoor planters that serve as "natural containers" nurturing carefully designed micro-ecosystems.

This series of strategic interventions has gradually transformed the abandoned industrial site into an ecologically resilient and culturally vibrant destination. The project demonstrates how thoughtful architectural intervention can honor historical significance while creating spaces that serve contemporary community needs. The renovated Fanshan Crystallization Ponds now function as a model for adaptive reuse projects, showing how industrial heritage sites can be successfully integrated with restored natural ecology and modern cultural tourism.

The completed project represents more than just architectural renovation - it embodies a holistic approach to heritage preservation that creates sustainable, attractive, and economically viable cultural destinations. Through FLIP Studio's innovative Conservation-Activation-Insertion-Regeneration methodology, the Fanshan Alunite site has achieved a remarkable metamorphosis from an isolated piece of industrial history into a thriving cultural landmark that bridges past and present while pointing toward a sustainable future.