Atelier Deshaus Transforms Abandoned Waterworks into Librairie Avant-Garde at Jianhu

Atelier Deshaus has transformed an abandoned water intake facility located on Jianhu Lake's island in Keqiao, Shaoxing, into a vibrant cultural hub featuring a bookstore, café, exhibition area, viewing pavilion, and boat dock. Constructed in 1992 for the municipal waterworks, the site consisted of six buildings: a pump house, substation, administration office, staff dormitory, water intake pier, and cargo hoisting dock. Following the establishment of a larger regional waterworks in 2001, the site fell into disuse until revitalization efforts commenced in 2022. The renovation, finalized in 2024, integrates the repurposed structures with a corridor system supported by slender steel columns, creating a cohesive public space. The 830 m² project was developed by a team including Liu Yichun and others, with structural design by AND Office, commissioned by Nanjing Pioneer Book Culture Communication Co., Ltd. Photography by Shengliang Su.