Reinventing Spaces.

This article features some of the design highlights offered by Beijing, China. Caught between past and present, Beijing is constantly reinventing itself. Take Factory 798, a '50s-era weapons factory that has been transformed into China's coolest creative enclave. It houses artists' lofts, studios and offices, as well as the cavernous art gallery 798 Space and the ultra-hip At Cafe, where art shows have been planned on a napkin during a caffeinated after-noon. Elsewhere in the capital, Alice-in-Wonderland meets feng shui at the Green T. House restaurant, where the chairs are so tall they create private space around each table. In preparation for the 2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing is building its futuristic National Stadium--dubbed "the bird's nest".