Spring St Salt Shed | DATTNER ARCHITECTS

The Spring Street Salt Shed in New York City, designed by Dattner Architects in collaboration with WXY Architecture, is a striking example of utilitarian architecture elevated to urban sculpture. Completed in 2015, the structure serves as a storage facility for road salt, yet its bold, monolithic form distinguishes it as a civic landmark. Inspired by the geometry of a salt crystal, the building features sharply faceted concrete walls that create a dynamic, sculptural appearance. Its cast-in-place concrete surface, subtly textured and light in tone, reflects the changing daylight, adding visual interest throughout the day. The structure’s tapered base provides more sidewalk space, while protective metal cladding at the lower edges safeguards against wear. Functionally robust and visually compelling, the salt shed integrates durability with design, standing out in the dense urban fabric as both infrastructure and public art. Its presence redefines how industrial buildings can contribute to the cityscape.