‘COPPER’

Brick factory wall outside COPPER

COPPER - exterior sign (Bruce Connolly)

COPPER - main door (Bruce Connolly)

COPPER - upper events space

COPPER- events space (Bruce Connolly)

Events space created from former copper wire factory (Bruce Connolly) 

When Bruce went a few weeks ago to interview a Belgian guest chef at TRB (Temple Restaurant Beijing), Marketing Manager of the restaurant Carine Chu invited him to walk to a new, nearby space for the meeting. Five minutes strolling along traditional alleys they came to Nafu Hutong and a series of brick buildings from the 1970’s. Going inside this one time factory compound Bruce was led into ‘COPPER’. This is an exciting example of how an abandoned industrial building can be restored into a first class venue – indeed the new ‘COPPER’ space is already attracting attention of a growing body of people who see value in preserving the old and not-so-old rather than pulling down and rebuilding.

‘COPPER’ is within a medium rise brick building which was actually a wire production unit within a large copper producing state company. Although the facility has been restored for contemporary use reminders of its past are evident such as the overhead gantry crane, original brick work and even taking the name from‘Copper’.

This is TRB’s second venture into former industrial spaces. The original restaurant on Shatan North Street occupies a building famed for producing China’s earlies television sets. What is fascinating about both the TRB and ‘COPPER’ is to be able to walk to both venues through an almost timeless Old Beijing scene.