inside the transformation of an unused wastewater facility into a public cultural hub in korea
Be-Fore reactivates an abandoned sewage treatment plant
Be-Fore is a renovation project by A.CO.LAB Architects that reactivates idle areas of the Sihwa Industrial Complex sewage treatment plant in South Korea by introducing minimal architectural interventions while preserving the site’s industrial character and historical traces. Rather than inserting predetermined programs or extensive new facilities, the project focuses on maintaining the existing atmosphere of the former purification infrastructure and creating conditions for different activities to take place within the existing spatial framework.
Originally planned as a water-themed park by Siheung-si for nearby residents, the site revealed a different potential through its existing structures, scale, and industrial remnants. The design approach avoids transforming the abandoned facility into a new image-driven destination, instead allowing its original spatial qualities, including its rough surfaces, irregular forms, and large-scale infrastructure, to remain visible and experienced.
The intervention is based on the principle of adding only the necessary elements to support new uses while preserving the site’s existing identity. The initial proposal, which focused on ten condensing tanks, was reduced to five, allowing the project to concentrate on revealing the structure and organization of the former sewage treatment system. By exposing previously hidden civil engineering elements and reconnecting different areas of the site, the renovation creates an open sequence through which visitors can experience the original water purification facilities.
all images courtesy of A.CO.LAB Architects
A.CO.LAB turns an unused facility into a new shared space
All newly introduced materials were selected by A.CO.LAB Architects Studio for their lightness, accessibility, and ease of installation and removal. Common construction materials, including timber frames, checkered steel plates, aluminum, and acrylic panels, were used to create temporary architectural elements without competing with the existing structures. A circular staircase, atrium columns, eaves, inspection decks, canopies, and skylights were designed as simple additions that support movement and occupation while maintaining the industrial character of the site.
The reduced scale of intervention also allowed the project to preserve the site’s spatial qualities while working within a limited construction budget. Rather than relying on permanent facilities or complex architectural systems, Be-Fore uses minimal gestures and readily available materials to establish new relationships between people and the abandoned industrial landscape.
Through the contrast between the former sewage treatment infrastructure and lightweight contemporary additions, the project explores how architecture can create a sense of shared experience within an existing place. The combination of rough industrial surfaces, translucent materials, and simple structural elements transforms the site into a space where traces of the past coexist with new forms of collective use.
project info:
name: Be-Fore
architect: A.CO.LAB Architects | @a.co.lab
lead architects: Isak Chung, Jinpyo Hong
location: Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom
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