“The Future Ruin” Concept Transforms 1950s Beijing Chemical Plant Into Cycling Hub.

Yatofu Creatives just turned an old chemical plant into something pretty cool. The Aitashop flagship sits inside Beijing’s 751 D·PARK—a space that used to churn out chemicals, a monumental project from China’s First Five-Year Plan in 1954 that now houses one of the most interesting bike stores we’ve seen.

The designers called their concept “The Future Ruin,” which basically sums up their approach: keep the gritty industrial bits, add modern cycling culture, and see what happens. Spoiler alert—it works.

Two Zones, One Vision

The 1,000sqm store splits into two areas, with each doing its own thing. The Garage sits in a sunken entrance where cyclists can roll right in. Instead of hiding bike repairs in some back room, they’ve made maintenance the star of the show. Mechanics work out in the open, customers can watch what’s happening, and everyone grabs coffee together. It’s community building through bike fixing, basically.

Then there’s The Experience Hub deeper inside, where ten massive desulphurisation tanks—leftover giants from the chemical plant days—stand like sculptural monuments. Some designers might try to hide these industrial relics. Yatofu said “nah, let’s make them the hero” and built the whole retail experience around them.

United Cycling LAB & Store in Lynge, Denmark by Johannes Torpe.

Johannes Torpe transformed a shabby 90s industrial building into a futuristic retail experience. The ‘lab’ and store is a modern monastery for the science of cycling, blending elements from the worlds of technology, engineering, mechanics and community.

Material Conversations

The material story here is pretty straightforward: new meets old, rough meets refined. Galvanised mesh and stainless steel play against weathered concrete and rusted surfaces. Custom grey terrazzo floors keep things grounded while H-beam steel maintains that industrial edge.

But it’s not all hard surfaces. Artek chairs and custom bar stools soften the mechanical vibe, while a clever modular display system lets the shop change with the seasons. The designers call it an “accessory library”—merchandising that actually adapts instead of staying static.

Welcome to Neo-nature: Moose Knuckles Milan Showroom by CARA \ DAVIDE and Motel409.

Moose Knuckles' Milan showroom is not just a pretty face. The 900sqm interior was inspired by the concept of “Neo-nature”—a blend of the Canadian Arctic tundra landscape and the metropolitan, tech-forwards streetwear world.

Beyond Retail

This isn’t your typical bike shop. It’s a washing station, workshop, event space, and hangout spot rolled into one. Art pops up between product displays, and the whole thing works as a proper community hub for Beijing’s cycling scene.

I love how Yatofu respect a building’s history while pushing it toward something new. Those old industrial bones tell stories, and designers found a way to honour that while creating space for people to connect over their shared love of bikes.

MO-NO-HA Shop, Cafe & Gallery in Seoul by Creative Studio Unravel.

This minimalist interior is wrapped in various textures, allowing materials with shifting scales and aesthetics to act the main character of the design. The rough outer skin of concrete tiles sits alongside clean whitewashed walls and copper furnishings, while the object collection creates a strikingly restrained and supremely elegant space.

[Images courtesy of Yatofu Creatives. Photography by Wen Studio.]