As a kid, did you ever want to be let loose to play inside an abandoned factory? These industrial destinations around the world have all been transformed into something much more amazing than their sweatshop beginnings!
1. Paper Factory Hotel, New York
Was: A Paper Factory
What do you do with your factory when it no longer produces paper? Turn it into a hotel! This “factory hotel” on New York’s Long Island is a true traveller’s gem, and inside you’ll find worldly artefacts like 250-year-old Chinese carpets, Moroccan lamps and chairs from a village school in India.
2. Taller de Arquitectura Head Office, Spain
Was: A Cement Factory
When Spaniard Ricardo Bofill found this abandoned industrial cement factory in 1973, he decided to make it the head office for his architecture firm. Today, it’s a spectacular space, with silos housing offices and libraries and huge warehouse floors transformed into exhibition and event spaces. Imagine going to work here every day! Inspiring…
3. Eco Homes of Bristol, UK
Was: A Tobacco Factory
They say that smoking is bad for your health … but perhaps staying in this old tobacco factory will have more benefits than one! The Lakeshore Development transformed this old factory into a series of ecologically friendly apartments, all of which make use of green technology, like recycling systems and ground sourced hot water. Needless to say – no smoking allowed!
4. Landschaftpark Duisburg-Nord, Germany
Was: A Power Station
Only the innovative Germans could convert an old power station into an amusement park. Simply head to the Ruhr Valley and you’ll stumble across Landschaftpark, which features impressive factory-ish attractions like the Blast Furnace lookout, the Gasometer scuba-diving tank and the Old Plant, which now serves as a concert hall.
5. Legend Town Creative Park, China
Was: A Textile Factory
Textiles just ain’t what they used to be. But it seems China was fully aware of this when they converted an old state-owned textile factory into a corporate and creative park. Located near Beijing, Legend Town provides office spaces for over 170 creative and cultural companies, while the old textile workshops have been retained and preserved for all time.
6. Domino Sugar Factory Apartments, New York
Was: A Sugar Factory acquainted
With the push for more affordable housing in the city of New York, the iconic Domino Sugar Factory – which once produced over 3 million pounds of sugar a day – is set to be turned into a series of apartments and offices in