Buan Art factory

Buan Art Factory is situated on the grounds of the former Buan Salt Factory, a traditional refined salt factory located in the old city centre near a local permanent market. The market was vital to the development of Buan’s fishing industry, but it has fallen into disrepair since its operation halted in 2009. The salt factory occupies an atypical, deep lot with a narrow entrance. As an urban regeneration facility, the building’s long metal facade serves as a prominent landmark local residents travelling to and from the market. The architecture of Buan Art Factory pays homage to the rich place history by creating open spaces that interact with the existing surroundings. The receded brick mass on the first floor intersects the protruding steel gable mass above to form an overhang, carving out a welcoming space for passers-by. By gradually increasing the building height, the building mass feels less oppressive from the outside. The first floor is seamlessly connected to an old residential area, and a road is built as an extended alleyway for the house behind the site. From here, one can see past the market entrance and into the open space behind it. The second-floor terrace also disperses the building’s activities into the alleyway, allowing for communication with passers-by. On the exterior, the gable roof and use of highly reflective metal are inspired by the salt factory. Exposed steel structures allow natural light to flood the enclosed space through the windows of the gable mass. Under the asymmetric roof, every room is well-lit and arranged in a regular manner to facilitate modular art spaces. Inside, the ceiling with exposed silver deck plate is reminiscent of a salt cauldron that reflects light, and it works together with the transparent polycarbonate dividing the first floor to disperse natural light in the space. Red Dot Award: Design Concept | Ready to Launch | Architecture