JIHYUN KWON

Refinery to Return // Grangemouth, Scotland

Set against the industrial transition of Inner Forth along the River Forth of Scotland, this project explores the possibilities of regional recovery and the shifting of local agency.

Grangemouth, a town where the oil refinery and related industries once accounted most of the local economy, faced a turning point with the refinery’s closure in 2025. While this decision was driven by sustainability agendas aimed at environmental protection, it cannot be understood easily by the local residents whose immediate livelihoods were deeply intertwined with the industry. This sense of alienation has fostered a skepticism and a sense of helplessness among the community, who often perceive environmental policies or agendas as a form of hypocrisy that overlooks their economic displacement.

To break this vicious cycle of dependency on industry and alienation from the transition, the project introduces a community-led educational and cultural hub in the post industrial community. Designed specifically for local residents like retired workers, the unemployed, and young job-seekers, the hub seeks to expand local options beyond the constraints of a single industry. In addition, by fostering a sense of belonging and encouraging active participation of residents, the project will restore the local agency. The residents themselves will become the active catalysts for a new industrial paradigm and a resilient regional identity, instead of being passive onlookers of transition.