Industrial parks play a vital role in driving economic innovation and development. Serving as the primary platform and battleground for local economic growth, they have been recognized as strategically important. However, due to the limited availability of industrial land, traditional M1 industrial parks often struggle with poor environmental comfort and low efficiency. Revitalizing these traditional M1 industrial parks has become an urgent priority to unlock new drivers for high-quality development.
The Guangzhou Fanwenhua Headquarters Industrial Park project, designed by GWP, sets a new benchmark for innovative M1 category projects under the Flower City Government. It serves as a model and reference for the redevelopment of conventional M1 industrial parks. — GWP team
1. Revitalizing the Economy and Energy of the Land
Huadu district is an important hub for advanced manufacturing in Guangzhou. With the integrated development of the “dual zone” construction and the “dual city” linkage strategy, it has become a favored location for corporate headquarters industrial parks. Collaborating with Fan Wenhua Group, the GWP team created a unique modern industrial park. By thoroughly researching the needs of property owners and the surrounding environment, the team strategically addressed the challenges of high plot ratios and compact factory land typical of M1 industrial zones.
They overcame the conventional, clustered factory layout and successfully balanced the relationships between industry, city, and people. This people-centered, demand-driven design responds to diverse stakeholder needs, leading new directions in industrial urban development. The project not only sets a benchmark for mixed-use corporate headquarters but also enriches the local urban living environment, injecting fresh vitality and economic momentum into the park.
▲ Location analysis
2. “Fan Wen Blooms, Blooming the World” — Creating Urban Landmarks
The project’s aesthetic, inspired by blooming flowers, symbolizes the natural beauty and vibrant experience the Fan Wenhua brand aims to provide its clients. As a brand focused on shaping and preserving beauty, Fan Wenhua carries a strong symbolic identity.
GWP integrated this concept by using the form of blooming flowers as the basis for the architectural design. The architecture features geometric cuts and stretched forms that create a central blooming garden, combining elegance with vitality. This design visually expresses the brand’s philosophy: “Fan Wen blooms, blooms the world, and continues beauty,” symbolizing a prosperous and flourishing future.
▲ Concept generation
▲ Design concept
3. Integrating Urban Gardens to Redefine the City’s Identity
With the site combining office and residential needs, the design team aimed to break away from the typical isolated and single-function park model. Their goal was to reshape the district’s image while enhancing the overall wellbeing and happiness of its users, creating a welcoming urban interface for the bustling crowd.
The concept of a garden-like experience was embedded into the mixed-use buildings that accommodate offices, R&D, exhibition spaces, production, logistics, dining, and dormitories. The staggered building setbacks create interactive outdoor spaces, providing abundant rest areas where users can relax and enjoy a more balanced work environment.
The industrial and orderly façade design facing major city roads reflects the industrial character of the area. The open plaza with extensive landscaping creates a transparent, inclusive social environment. The surrounding buildings form complementary spaces that offer high-quality shared areas for both the project and local communities, thereby enhancing the overall urban image.
4. Human-Centered Design for Comfortable, Efficient Spaces
In terms of functional layout, the design team worked closely with Fan Wenhua’s operations team to develop a “front store, back factory” park model. Buildings 1 and 2 serve as multifunctional hubs with strong symbolic significance, hosting headquarters offices, R&D centers, and exhibition corridors.
Behind the headquarters are three distinct factory areas for different product lines, integrated with logistics and reserved land for industrial park residential facilities. To maximize the park’s value, the design incorporates a flow diversion strategy, separating exhibition and visitor routes and guiding visitors through different production processes from the lobby to the exhibition corridor.
To balance the production rhythm, ease the office atmosphere, and foster a welcoming environment, the GWP team drew on the corporate culture’s themes of “natural, ecological, and healthy.” These qualities were embedded into the ecological spaces adapted from retired factory buildings, softening the industrial image and enhancing the park’s high-quality industrial R&D base.
5. Landscape Design Enhances Park Vitality
Thoughtfully designed green spaces create seamless connections and transitions throughout the site. Inspired by the brand’s logo, the elegant curves of blooming flowers are incorporated into the landscape as points, lines, and surfaces, defining the park’s unique identity.
The landscape design weaves a narrative thread that links garden structures with leisure amenities such as tables, chairs, and platforms. These elements boost the space’s livability, sustain the park’s vitality, and establish a high-quality industrial park that reflects the corporate culture.
▲ Landscape Plan of the Park Entrance Square
Project Drawings
▲ First floor plan
Project Information
Location: Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Design Year: 2020
Status: Under construction, expected completion in 2022
Building Area: 110,763 square meters
Land Area: 33,300 square meters
Land Use: M1 / Class I industrial land
Scope of Services: Architectural design, landscape design
Architectural and Landscape Design: GWP Architects
Structural Design: Guangzhou Rongbaisheng Architectural Structural Design Firm
Construction Drawing Design: Mobley Architects
Awards: 2021 MUSE Architectural Design Award (USA), 2021 ICONIC AWARDS Iconic Design Award Selected (Germany)
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