What an entirely grand and beautifully restored heritage building. Seeing, and more importantly, being able to enjoy spaces like this are rare, especially in cities like ours where there seems to be an overwhelming need to make everything shiny and new. (yes there are foundations in place to protect our heritage buildings, but I'm making sweeping generalizations here)
When the Salt Building was first being revitalized during the pre-Olympic building-frenzy era, there was talk of the space being used as a pub or high-end restaurant or some other variation on that theme. Though it may have been entirely acceptable -- and maybe even great -- if that were the case today (and who knows, it may very well be the case in the future), but it almost seems as though that would be a bastardization of this minimal bare-bones structure.
The building is gorgeous. Bookended with mammoth-sized windows, allowing plenty of light to pour in throughout the almost 14,000sq foot space, exposing the elaborate timber trusses and metal hardware, and shining of the polished concrete floor, there is not one thing I'd change here. It would be a shame to cover any of it up.
A perfect event location, an ideal gathering space, an overwhelmingly stunning surprise in an area that is known for making everything "pretty," the Salt Building is, at this moment, a perfect homage to its historic past. read more