The Buan Salt Factory, located near the local market in the historic downtown, was once a prominent salt production facility, utilizing a traditional salt-refining method. Serving as a key facility in Buan, known for its flourishing fishing industry, the salt factory was abandoned in 2009, left as a vacant relic of the past. Buan Art Factory is now planned on this very site, designed not only to regenerate the physical space but also to embody the 'Topophilia', borrowing forms, materials, and fragments of memory to embed the site’s historical resonance within the new structure.

The building occupies an irregular plot with a narrow entrance leading deep into the site. As an urban regeneration facility for local residents frequenting the market, the design addresses the land's form to establish a public space at a human scale, promoting 'Life Between Buildings'. The interplay between the recessed brick mass of the first floor and the protruding metal gable mass on the second creates an enveloping exterior wall that welcomes passersby. The elongated metal facade on the second floor commands strong visual recognition towards the local market, while the coarse brick on the recessed first floor connects seamlessly with the adjacent low-rise residential area. This setback also respects the houses behind the plot, extending the alleyway into the site.

The gabled roof and reflective metal cladding on the second floor echo the architectural vocabulary of the original salt factory. Y-shaped columns support the mass, generating a sense of structural tension while creating a rest area beneath. Sightlines flow seamlessly from the market entrance to the rear rest space, encouraging visual continuity. The second-floor terrace, positioned at a low height, allows natural eye contact with passersby, extending the building’s internal activities outward. From the terrace to the gable mass, the building gradually rises, reducing the sense of bulkiness.

The open, two-story interior space reveals the steel skeleton, maintaining the typology of a factory building. The large gable window facing southeast brings ample natural light, overcoming the deep plot. The exposed silver deck plate ceiling reflects light, resembling an inverted salt cauldron. Transparent polycarbonate partitions softly divide the first floor, introducing natural light into the workspace. Meanwhile, tabletops made from salt sacks evoke the salt crystals that would have once formed in shallow pans, reinforcing the building’s connection to its historical roots.

Architects : Narrative Architects
Lead Architects : Namin Hwang, Sihong Kim
Area : 478 m²
Photographs : Kyungsub Shin
Location : Buan-gun, Republic of Korea

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Award
2023 The Good Place Awards: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism 
Red Dot Design Award: Design Concept 2023, Winner
iF Design Award: Architecture Design 2024, Winner