GUI TEMPLE Restaurant Fuses Beijing’s Heritage with Modern Craft

Words by Yatzer

5 June 2025

GUI TEMPLE Restaurant Fuses Beijing’s Heritage with Modern Craft

Words by Yatzer

5 June 2025

Culinary Chronicles

Beijing, China

Designed by Beijing-based studio DSC·Design, GUI TEMPLE restaurant offers a masterclass in how conservation and modernization can harmoniously coexist in the context of renovating heritage properties. Located within Beijing’s historic Hong'en Taoist Temple, the space balances reverence with reinvention in reflection of the site’s storied 700-year history. Established in the 14th century as a Buddhist and later Taoist temple, the building morphed into an industrial factory in the 1950s, a bustling farmers’ market in the 1990s, and now, a contemporary cultural landmark along Beijing’s north-south central axis.

Rather than simply restoring the past, DSC·Design breathes new life into the project through what they call Neo-Jinghua Aesthetics, a philosophy that distils Beijing’s architectural legacy into a modern language. At GUI TEMPLE, this vision materializes in a poetic dialogue between old and new—industrial elements softened by weathered wood, historical motifs given fresh expression, and ceremonial spatial rhythms reimagined for modern hospitality.

Two individuals dressed in black attire stand side by side against a dark background, exuding a modern, minimalist aesthetic.

Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

View through a large window showcasing a traditional red pavilion with intricate details, surrounded by a peaceful outdoor setting.

Photography © Beijing Guanzhonghemu Catering Management Co., Ltd.

Elegant dining room featuring a round marble table set with red plates and glasses, overlooking traditional architecture through large windows. — Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

A modern dining room with orange chairs, a black table set for a meal, and a window showcasing traditional architecture outside. — Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

Occupying the temple’s west wing, the restaurant is structured as a sequence of ceremonious spaces, including a voluminous main dining hall and more intimate private dining rooms, that unfold along the property’s elongated, industrial footprint. Formerly windowless walls have been punctuated with glazing, enhancing the connection between interior and exterior, offering glimpses of the temple’s original red columns and intricate eaves. Ethereally lit corridors further heighten the ceremonial drama, leading guests through a carefully orchestrated spatial experience

A restaurant setting featuring a beautifully decorated wall with traditional artwork, a round table set with elegant dinnerware and glasses.

Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

Cozy interior featuring a wooden table with tea sets, a vintage chair, and a soft lamp, with a view of traditional architecture outside.

Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

A wooden doorway frames a serene interior with a sleek chair and bamboo view, highlighting modern design and natural light.

Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

Cozy dining area featuring a round table with elegant tableware, surrounded by a wall mural and natural light from a slatted roof.

Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

Elegant dining room featuring a mural of serene figures, bamboo plant, and a view of traditional architecture through a window. — Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

A view down a dimly lit corridor lined with wooden pillars, leading to a vibrant red door with ornate details and steps beyond.

Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

Elegant restaurant interior featuring modern decor, dramatic lighting, and tables adorned with dark linens and decorative centerpieces. — Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

Materiality also plays a key role in GUI TEMPLE’s identity. Concrete columns and beams, intentionally left exposed as a nod to the site’s industrial past, are complemented by traditional carpentry, including restored posts and beams, rustic wall cladding, and Qing Dynasty-style corbels. The latter dominate the main dining hall, assembled into a sculptural structure that adorns the black-painted ceiling. Featuring lantern-like light fittings, this architectural element exemplifies DSC·Design’s talent for creative reinterpretation.

Shoji-style screens, door handles shaped like ancient inkstones, and fragments of Ming-era-style murals embedded within hand-brushed concrete further enrich the design, evoking the property’s layered history, while contemporary sleek furnishings such as glass sconces and leather chairs introduce a refined modernity.

Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.
Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

A dimly lit restaurant interior featuring elegantly set tables with gray linens and orange chairs, reflecting a cozy ambiance.

Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

An ornate ceiling design featuring sculpted beams and a vintage-style chandelier, softly illuminated against a blurred background.

Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

Elegant restaurant interior with dim lighting, featuring a large artistic floral centerpiece and well-set tables with orange chairs.

Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

Elegant restaurant interior featuring ambient lighting, dark tables, and lush orange floral arrangements in large vases. — Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

A modern staircase with sleek metal and wood accents, illuminated by subtle lighting, set against textured walls.

Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

A stylish corridor with wood-paneled doors, ambient lighting, and elegant patterned flooring leading to a subtly lit end.

Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

A modern, dimly lit hallway featuring rich wooden walls, soft lighting, and a striking dark floor leading to doors at the end.

Close-up of an elevator door with wooden panels and a floor marker indicating the elevator location, featuring a simple icon and Chinese characters.

Dimly lit hallway featuring textured concrete walls, dark wooden doors, and a glowing wall sconce with a wooden sign below.

Two elegant black chairs are positioned beside translucent, textured screens resembling soft fabric with faint bamboo patterns.

A serene hallway with warm, glowing paneling and rich, dark wood accents reflecting in the glossy floor.

A modern dining room with a round marble table, elegant glassware, and softly lit textured walls, creating an inviting atmosphere. — Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

Modern dining room with a circular table, elegant decor, warm lighting, and a serene ambiance created by textured walls and natural elements. — Photography © Valley Vision/Zhong Ziming.

The venue’s immersive ambience is underscored by its soulful colour palette and nuanced illumination. Deep crimson, warm ochre, and charcoal grey, tones inspired by the imperial hues of the Forbidden City, imbue the space with quiet grandeur. Meanwhile, illuminated screens, soft cove lighting, and discreet accents that evoke the glow of sunrise instil a contemplative serenity.

These elements culminate in the largest private dining room on the upper level, the restaurant’s crown jewel. Here, crimson-hued walls, glowing shoji-style screens, and dark grey stone flooring create an atmosphere of refined opulence centred around a round dining table with a marble Lazy Suzan. Above, a large, softly illuminated circular ceiling cove, dramatically bisected by a concrete beam, anchors the space with a bold architectural statement. Just beyond, a tranquil rooftop terrace offers panoramic views of the Bell Tower, reinforcing GUI TEMPLE’s deep-rooted connection to its historic surroundings.