Chinese architects Archstudio have transformed a gallery in Beijing from one that is uninspiring to look at and walk around to being visually eye-catching and interesting to tour.

The Ioma art centre was housed in a functional but unremarkable building and was lacking in space for certain uses.

In addition to extending the building upwards and along the street, Archstudio added a new façade to capture the imagination of visitors and passersby outside.

The flowing, translucent metal curtain is installed so as to provide glimpses of trees planted behind it. This sets the tone for the centre's blend of natural and more stark constructed elements.

Parts of the original structure were demolished, blending existing areas with newly built spaces for a restaurant, a shop, a multifunctional hall and a leisure area.

Archstudio also rethought the circulation of the building, remodelling certain spaces to transform what was a linear, repetitive experience to one that is based on two independent loops with more opportunity for exploration.

Throughout the building, there are interesting places for visitors to discover, including courtyards and terraces, and there is greenery that contrasts with the starker concrete elements.

Visitors experience trees in different ways as they move around the centre, having to duck under branches or being presented with different parts of trees in different spaces.