MAD Architects recently completed the ‘Timeless Beacon’, a fishing net art installation that lightly wraps the abandoned Taiping market building in Guangdong, China. Ma Yansong, founder and principal partner of the emerging practice, was invited by Guangdong Nanhai Art Field to bring new life to the once flourishing market during the late Ming dynasty.
Taiping Xu, a bustling marketplace founded in the late Ming dynasty and active until the 1980s, had become the largest abandoned site in Taiping. Over time, the urbanization of the area drew young people away to the rapidly expanding city across the river, leaving behind only a few. Moreover, online retail had dealt a severe blow to physical market spaces, further contributing to their gradual decline.
Timeless beacon therefore breathes new life into Taiping Xu. This exciting initiative has transformed the abandoned marketplace into a vibrant hub of activity once again.
The three-storey building is clad in dazzling reflective films, a new material that vaguely reflects the adjoining old streets through the structure’s facade and inner spaces. Towards the top, multicoloured cloths of fishing nets envelope a towering multimedia light device, emerging as an emblem of hope and rebirth. The installation transforms into a village lighthouse during the night, instilling a dream atmosphere along the riverside.
In conclusion, the installation reminisces the rich history of the former commercial hub and translates it into a hallmark of ephemerality. The effort has brought renewed interest and vitality to the once-neglected area, attracting visitors and locals alike to explore the revitalized space. The installation will be on display until the summer of 2024.
