A 1960s cement factory located on the remote Tibetan Plateau has been transformed into a modern art museum. At an altitude of 3,800m, this is the highest plateau in the world and a remote and ecologically sensitive site. The existing buildings were found to have low concrete strength, and great care was taken to upgrade them to meet modern seismic requirements and thereby ensure ongoing protection of the artworks. The seismic interventions were undertaken with a light touch – adding strengthening where required, installing damping, and utilising base isolation – and were designed to work in conjunction with the existing structures to reduce the scale of new construction. This minimum intervention approach was crucial in reducing the impact of construction works on this ecologically fragile site.
This project brilliantly reuses a utilitarian cement factory, artfully transforming the storage rooms, kilns, and slurry tanks into new museum spaces. By retaining much of the original structure, it minimises the consumption of new materials and showcases how we can learn to love old buildings in new ways. The project sets an international standard for reuse and seismic strengthening under challenging local conditions. It revitalises an industrial site with thoughtful new build elements, demonstrating bold engineering and low carbon construction. Not just retention but true transformation.