In June 2023, Helena was able to conduct fieldwork in Shougang, after the country’s reopening to foreign visas. She visited the site together with Mengke and on her own and realized several interviews with stakeholders including members of the Shougang Group, Shougang Funds, consultants, architects, and users.

This was the occasion to witness the site coming back to life, after the Olympic period, with ongoing transformations. New spaces of consumptions are being developed, while visitors slowly occupy the space for daily practices such as sports, walk, visits. The fieldwork resulted in a small seminar with students and members of the Shougang Group, during which she shared her comparative research with the London 2012 Games.