As the preservation of architectural heritage and a ‘reuse’ mindset has gained popularity in arts infrastructure globally, repurposing abandoned spaces into museums and galleries is increasingly commonplace. One such example is Argo Factory in Tehran’s downtown, a rundown brewery that had sat abandoned for over forty years. During that time, parts of the building and roof were looted or sold off, used as an informal shelter for unhoused people, and fell into a general state of disrepair.
Spearheaded by avid collector Hamidreza Pejman and his eponymous not-for-profit art organization, Pejman Foundation, Argo Factory was an ideal opportunity to create a museum dedicated to contemporary art in Iran.
The Pejman Foundation was established in 2014 and had been engaged deeply in the arts including publishing books, organizing panels for artists and curators, facilitating international residencies, and collaborating with various art institutions on exhibitions. What was missing was a place to put it all together–the art, people, and programming.
In 2015, the Foundation acquired Argo Factory and tapped architecture firm ASA North to lead its renovations. In the years following, led by principal architect, Ahmadreza Schricker, the team completed the reconstruction with minimal changes to the original structure, preserving the integrity of the building’s architecture. One of the most significant aspects of the renovation was the addition of a custom roof. In recognition of the project’s architectural & design excellence and impact on local community, Argo Factory was awarded the Aga Khan Architecture Award in 2022.
Argo Factory is not without its obstacles. After officially opening in 2020, one of its main challenges is that the building requires daily maintenance, with all parts needing regular inspection. The team embraces this responsibility, as it allows them to continually present artwork in a world-class environment. Another challenge in organizing exhibitions at Argo Factory, which is felt by many others in the arts in Iran, is the difficulty of shipping artworks internationally. The process is complicated, prohibitively expensive, and unreliable in terms of obtaining exact shipping dates. To navigate this issue, Argo now produces editions of the artwork locally in Iran, following the artists’ plans and directions. These recreated works are displayed during the exhibition, and afterward, they are either destroyed or shipped back to the artist. This method simplifies logistics, as it eliminates the need for two-way shipping and eases time constraints. In terms of operational revenue, Argo Factory covers some of its expenses through ticket sales, as well as sales of books, limited editions, and events such as lectures and talks.
In addition to the artwork on view, Argo Factory features a café (Argo Lounge/Sam Café), a cinematheque (Cine Argo), and a concept store (Maghaaze). In addition to food and beverage, Argo Lounge, managed in collaboration with Sam Café, also exhibits artworks. Cine Argo began its programming in 2023, offering niche film screenings and curated panels. Maghaaze is a pop-up space focused on fresh collaborations with fashion and homegoods designers, available to purchase in-store and online.
Since Argo Factory began operations, the Foundation has also enlisted Peyman Pourhossein, co-founder of Studio Kargah, to lead a research team investigating the history of the Argo Brewery, with plans to be published as a book.
Photography Asa North, Arya Tabandehpour, Matin Jamei, Hamid Eskandari, Niloofar Hasani, Mohammad Rezaei, Deed Studio, Atousa Alebouyeh, Mani Lotfizadeh
