PIFO GALLERY / ARCHSTUDIO

Opened in 798 Art Zone, Beijing in 2009, PIFO GALLERY is one of the earliest major art intuitions in China dedicated to advancing the research and development of abstract art. After more than a decade of operation, the owner of the gallery invited ARCHSTUDIO to renovate the space, improve its functions and adapt to future development demands.798 Art Zone, where PIFO GALLERY is situated, houses a cluster of modern art spaces repurposed from electronics factories built in the 1950s. Distinct from those iconic buildings featuring concrete arched windows in the art zone, PIFO GALLERY is set in an ordinary industrial building — a regular closed concrete "box" with high ceilings and poor natural daylighting. For renovating the gallery, ARCHSTUDIO's primary consideration was to satisfy its functional demands while endowing the space with a captivating ambiance and a unique visual identity, so as to improve the brand image of the gallery.