Shiraito Sake Brewery is a minimalist space located in Fukuoka, Japan, designed by a-um. In the site, this complex is composed of a number of buildings. This project was to design a new addition (partially re-construction) to its complex. Brewery workers move between building to building along its process of sake-making. The purpose was to obtain more space and to add new facilities to enhance the quality of their product. Most of the existing buildings in the site are very old and traditional. The “main” building is more than 100 years old. One of the tasks within the design process was to connect the historical buildings and the new addition not only functionally, but visually as well.

The traditional Japanese building at the site is very iconic. Since the traditional complex creates its “silhouette” with the triangular roof shape, the new volume was intended to be overlapped with triangular-shaped geometries to cast a new “silhouette” in modern way. The concrete surface and structure possess this strong feeling both visually and spatially. The new addition is constructed with a cast-in-place concrete structure, and the entire building is covered with its concrete texture as an exterior and interior finish.