Wang Haichuan has been very interested in the old Tongyuanju munitions factory in Chongqing’s Nan’an district for several years now. Not only has he researched the buildings within, but he has also interviewed a great number of the people living there. The standard size of factory workers’ dormitories is 16.9 square meters, where for the last 60 years many families have lived. In recent years, the threat of demolition has become a major topic of discussion in the area. In light of this, 16.9 m² takes the factory dormitories and residents as its subjects, reproducing the spatial ambiance of their cramped living conditions in gigantic photographs. Meanwhile, the remaining taken pictures during the interviews were later framed and presented to the interviewees as a gift from the artist.

Formerly one of the largest munitions factories in Chongqing, the Yangtze River power plant has undergone several changes of name and function since its founding. Today, however, citizens still refer to it as Tongyuanju.