A painted wall has become a popular photo spot at the block.[Photo/China Daily]

"Former factory workers sometimes return to the compound, recognize machinery displayed downstairs and tell us that they once worked with the equipment," she said.

The renewal team had to work with aspects of the industrial site that could not easily be moved or removed.

"We designed the roads around the old trees rather than moving them to make way for the roads," Yang said.

A former factory canteen presented a particular challenge.

It had been earmarked for demolition to make way for a road planned to pass through the site. Instead, the team designed an open central space with glass curtain walls on both sides.

The glass sections can be dismantled if the road eventually goes ahead, allowing the building to remain in use for now, Yang said.

The team took a similar approach to the factory's equipment, incorporating overhead cranes, columns, old machines and machine parts into the renewed spaces.