Rebirth of 1986 Innovation Park: Model for urban renewal

When the sound of gears gave way to the tapping of keyboards, and closed workshops were reborn as open spaces for collaboration, the transformation of 1986 Innovation Park became a powerful model for urban renewal.

Once home to more than 400 pioneers who contributed to China's atomic and hydrogen bomb programs, as well as breakthroughs in radar technology, these factory buildings now carry forward a legacy of innovation.

Today, the former research institute of China Electronics Technology Group has been reborn as a comprehensive hub offering research and development offices, shared laboratories, exhibition spaces, and industrial services. Green technologies such as photovoltaic power, smart grids, and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems drive the park toward a low-carbon future.

A hallmark of the park's design philosophy is the fusion of technology and community. It emphasizes openness, sustainability, and adaptability, creating an ecosystem where global talent, capital, and technology interact.

One example of this approach is the smart canteen operated by an intelligent technology service company. By analyzing dining data with AI, it optimizes supply chains, improving daily operations with digital tools.

Anchored by Grand Union of Innovation (GUi)'s global network of partners, the park connects resources from 13 innovation centers around the world, attracting companies in the semiconductor, AI, and new energy sectors to complement its innovation ecosystem.

"Through our resource network, the park focuses on attracting enterprises in next-generation information technology and supporting them to accelerate industrial upgrading," says Cao Yonggang, CEO of Hony Capital, a global partner of GUi and one of the park's key investors.

Positioned as a community for youth entrepreneurship, the park also integrates living, smart dining, cultural markets, and recreational facilities. These spaces allow young professionals to balance research, work, and leisure within the same environment.

The interior of a youth apartment in the park is bright. [Photo/GUi]

The 1986 Innovation Park integrates factory facilities, laboratories, and lifestyle amenities. It is not simply the reuse of an industrial site, but embodies a shift toward people-oriented, innovation-driven urban space, where the past fuels a new cycle of creativity and growth.