A group of passionate young people have transformed one of Guangzhou's iconic 1920s-style buildings to create a hub where culture, art and community come together.

The project is the brainchild of Huang Yiqun, 32, who has dreamed of opening his own art gallery since high school.

Huang Yiqun is one of the four owners of Kuiyuan Gallery. [Photo/Guangzhou Daily]

Together with three friends, Huang started working towards his dream in 2010, looking for the perfect building to be the gallery's home.

After a few months, the quartet settled on Dongshan Kou, a famous historic area of 1920s-style buildings in downtown Guangzhou.

"Dongshan Kou is the perfect local for a community art gallery because it is located right in the middle of a residential center," Huang says.

Kuiyuan was then name of the building itself the young men chose, built in the 1920s by renowned businessman Feng Zhuowen, and thought to be one of the most beautiful in Dongshan Kou.

The team invited Tang Guohua, an architect specializing in Lingnan-style buildings, to repair and restore the old building without changing its appearance and structure. Furniture was also custom made to suit the style of the building.

Located in a quiet leafy corner of Dongshan Kou, Kuiyuan Gallery stands as one of Guangzhou's finest art galleries after being open for just five years. [Photo/Guangzhou Daily]

After six months' toil, Kuiyuan Gallery opened on Jan 1, 2012, housing collections and exhibitions of classic and modern art.

The three-story building has exhibition space on the first and third floors, as well as a coffee shop on the second. Visitors can use the coffee shop to relax and read books, or meet with friends or business partners.

Kuiyuan Gallery has become an important and valued part of the cultural landscape of Dongshan Kou and greater Guangzhou, proving popular with residents and enriching their lives.

"We average about one marriage proposal a year here," Huang says, adding that Kuiyuan Gallery seems to hold a special place in many people's hearts.

To expand its influence, Huang and his team have started exhibiting posters of works from the gallery in metro stations and in local offices.

"We are looking to find more ways to bring art into people's everyday lives,” Huang says.