Past: Rise and Fall of a Century-Old Grain Storage Facility in Foshan and the Woes of Unused Space (1950s-2018)
Xiajiao Grain Store is located in Xiajiao Village, Guicheng Sub-District, Nanhai District, Foshan City. Built on a river that runs through the water towns of Lingnan, it has a rich history of nearly a hundred years. During the period from the 1950s to the 1980s, it functioned as the main grain reserve and logistics center for grain processing and transfer in Nanhai, including a collection of red-brick storehouses, silos, docking bays, and waterfront walkways. In the planned economic era, it was one of the primary nodes of the grain transportation network of Foshan, storing and transporting the hard-earned grains of Foshan people for generations.
As a result of the reforms of the grain transportation system and changes to urban industries, Xiajiao Grain Store was gradually decommissioned and went unused. For decades the buildings had fallen into disrepair, with damaged and mottled walls, outdated and underdeveloped infrastructure, empty waterfront areas, and a derelict environment. With the unique red-brick grain storage facility architecture and limited water town waterfront resources, its structure continued to deteriorate, and thus became an industrial heritage site urgently in need of rehabilitation in the central business district of Foshan.
Present: Renovation of a Red Brick Granary Cultural and Art Block Through Micro-Renovation at a Lingnan Water Town (2019-Present)
In 2019, the restoration and renovation project of Xiajiao Grain Store officially began. The project brought in a professional cultural and creative operation team to support the renovation process. The entire renovation followed the principle of prioritizing the protection of historical structures, and therefore rejected the idea of demolition. The project preserved the original condition of core historical relics including red-brick walls, silo structures, waterfront docks, storage beams, columns, old doors and windows, etc., while maintaining the raw texture of the old grain stores and the waterfront style of the Lingnan water towns. At the same time, the project restored the piping systems, illuminated the streets, optimized the waterfront public spaces and enhanced the cultural tourism-related facilities to resolve the possible hazards of safety and environment issues of old industrial heritage sites.
Xiajiao Grain Store officially opened in 2021, completing the project. Renamed as “Foshan Water Town Grain Storage Cultural and Creative Art Park,” the newly restored Xiajiao Grain Store maintains the industrial texture of the old grain storage facilities and the waterfront ambiance, and incorporates various forms of content, such as art exhibit halls, cultural and creative workshops, boutique coffee shops, themed restaurants, children’s research centers, and waterfront recreational activities. Not only does the newly restored Xiajiao Grain Store continue the historical legacy and industrial charm of the century-old grain storage facilities of Foshan, but also creates trendy art check-in scenes, attracting numerous tourists and young groups. The revitalization of the abandoned industrial heritage and water town resources in the Xiajiao area, Guicheng, Nanhai, contributes to improving the vitality of the Xiajiao area, Guicheng, Nanhai, and restores the century-old grain storage facilities.
Historical and Modern Significance
Xiajiao Grain Store is a living fossil of grain silos across Southern China, encapsulating the essence of Lingnan water town agriculture, the history of the planned economy, and waterfront industrial heritage. The renovation of Xiajiao Grain Store resolves the waterfront site’s three main challenges: difficulty in protection, difficulty in use, and difficulty in conversion, serving as an excellent model for revitalizing other neglected waterfronts across China.
Image References
All images not separately credited below filmed at location by Stories Rezoned team
- Anonymous. Xiajiao Old Granary by the Water with Banyan Tree. 2019. Guicheng Fabu, http://m.toutiao.com/group/6987638960768107046/.
- Anonymous. Overgrown Courtyard of Xiajiao Granary. 2019. Guicheng Fabu, http://m.toutiao.com/group/6987638960768107046/.
References
- People’s Government of Nanhai District, Foshan. “Overview of the Protection and Renovation of Xiajiao Granary Historical and Cultural Area.” 5 Oct. 2022, www.nanhai.gov.cn/zt/xiajiaoliangyuan.html.
- Guangzhou Daily. “Xiajiao Granary: The Revitalized Rebirth of a Century-Old Granary.” 7 Jan. 2025, epaper.gzcankao.com/2025-01/07/content_134567.htm.
- Southern Metropolis Daily. “Construction of Xiajiao Granary Traditional Feature Area Project Officially Launched.” 3 Nov. 2019, www.nddaily.com/city/20191103/345672.html.
- Nanhai News Network. “Micro-Renewal of Xiajiao Granary Renews Urban Context.” 24 June 2022, www.nanhainews.com/content/2022-06/24/content_1098765.htm.
- People’s Government of Foshan Municipality. “Revitalization Practice of Xiajiao Granary Historical Block in Nanhai District.” 4 Aug. 2021, www.foshan.gov.cn/ywdt/wh/202108/t20210804_345621.html.