Distillery Homework

We are nothing but life-long learners and curious creatives. The discovery and research phase of a new project is when we immerse ourselves in the client / industry and where relevant pieces of information are uncovered; we may not know exactly how they will be incorporated in the final project design, if at all, but we collect them none the less as we begin to conceptualize a design. After a period (sometimes short, sometimes long) of researching, studying and marinating with the history, images, precedents collected - the design concept is crafted with memories of these discoveries.

When we began the design phase for Firefly Distillery’s new facility, the first step was to visit their existing distillery and tasting room on Wadmalaw Island, SC to learn their history, better understand their brand, see their process, and well, taste some products. It was important for us to know how Firefly started and where they were going, how they differentiated themselves in the industry and thus what functional spaces and visitor experiences to help create in the architecture.

Original Firefly Tasting Room located in an old horse barn on Wadmalaw Island, SC.

Products on display and for sale inside the Tasting Room.

Becoming experts in Firefly’s brand and business was only the first step. We needed to visit other distilleries with successful brands, products and distillery tours, so the team headed to Kentucky for some serious homework. (There are worse things to have on one’s To-do list.) The goal was to visit several distilleries of varying size and personality to study the visitor experience - this was not to replicate any one of them, rather to understand varying ways to showcase a brand, tell a story and how the built environment supports the experience. We’re not going to lie - a great time was had by all; but more importantly, the research trip provided countless moments to document and reference during the next year of design work.

BUFFALO TRACE

Located in Frankfurt, KY, Buffalo Trace is a National Historic Landmark and heavy hitter with over 20 brands including Van Winkle, Sazarac Rye and Wheatley Vodka. Take aways include their expansive, historic campus, choice of multiple tours and events (including a behind the scenes “hard hat” tour, path of a bourbon barrel tour and a ghost tour), and how their rustic brand is reinforced throughout the grounds in both big and small ways.

Inside of one of the historic rickhouse structures.

Buffalo Trace logo cut into a stormwater grate.

WOODFORD RESERVE

The drive to Woodford Reserve in Versailles, KY was exactly how you wanted it to be, with horses and expanses of blue grass. While this distillery has a rich history as well, we noticed the polish and exactness they incorporated into the visitor experience.

Woodford Reserve’s information counter with backlit bottles.

There was a precise balance between the historic structure, distillery function and visitor experience.

The Woodford Reserve tasting experience was restrained, elegant and on-brand.

COPPER & KINGS

In Louisville, KY our first stop was Copper & Kings, a newer distillery with an industrial aesthetic using shipping containers to greet you, a large courtyard for events and a steel, glass and concrete distillery. Bonus: they play music in the cellar for their barrels while they age. (Related: this blog was written to John Coltrane.)

Shipping container welcome center and gift shop for Copper & Kings.

Large outdoor courtyard with gathering spaces, fire pit and places to project movies.

Barrels age to music at the Copper & Kings’ cellar because “Brandy Rocks!” They post the day’s playlist on their website.

ANGELS ENVY

Another stop in Louisville was Angel’s Envy, a VERY large facility that felt like a cathedral to distilling in the best way possible. It was reverent with grand spaces, a clear focus on education and showcasing the process and finished product.

Angel’s Envy Distillery map

The tallest column we have ever seen.

Our design process is richer because we walked through these spaces, listened to the stories told and became students again. We are ever thankful for the hospitality shown to us and look forward to visiting again.

The Offices at Belle Hall

Commercial office design doesn’t often start with details; it begins with big picture math - proformas, core factors, totals of leasable space, parking calcs, etc. While all of these formulas came into play early and often during the design of this speculative office building, we were able to focus equally on the small design moments that seek to make a building and space unique.

Glass guardrail system with stainless steel hardware.

Warm walnut paneling contrasts the white terrazzo stair treads and tile flooring.

Tenant entrances each have frameless glass doors with walnut surrounds.

Exterior entrance introduces you to the wood and slat elements in conjunction with charcoal painted steel.

Metal wall panels and brick are the primary exterior materials - balancing a sense of permanence with a contemporary aesthetic.

Rural Studio : Samuel Mockbee and An Architecture of Decency

This book chronicles the genesis and early years of Auburn University’s College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s “Rural Studio”, a design-build architecture studio located off-campus in rural Alabama. The studio educates what founder, Samuel Mockbee, calls “citizen architects” through feet-on-the-ground researching, community immersion, collaborative design and hands-on construction in Hale County’s ‘pockets of poverty.’  What started as a new house per year has grown into chapels, community buildings and structures for much needed economic development.  Paramount lessons beyond design and construction are those in human decency, class and racial differences and how both client and student are equally helping one another.  

“It’s got to be warm, dry and noble.”

Samuel Mockbee

We reach for this book to remind ourselves that good design doesn’t have to come with a large price tag; that listening to and respecting a project’s client, context and culture leads the way to the best design solutions.  It teaches us that architecture isn’t on paper, that the profession can and should serve those who need it most, that function alone isn’t enough, and that humble can also be bold.

“Proceed and be bold.”

Samuel Mockbee

Rainbow Row | 107 East Bay St. Renovation [Part 2]

The first part of this historic renovation story was published nearly three years ago during the early days of the design process. We had recently been hired to design some functional updates for the new owner and breathe life back into this former wharfside mercantile at the corner of East Bay and Elliot streets in downtown Charleston, SC. Design goals included undoing some less sensitive renovation remnants and creating a light-filled kitchen by enclosing an interior courtyard. This had to be carefully studied and planned as the historic district rules prohibit seeing any new fabric from the public right of way; see building section below confirming this. Read the previous blog here: Rainbow Row | 107 East Bay St. Renovation [Part 1]

Elliot Street elevation

Building section cutting through new kitchen confirming historic district site lines are preserved.

Since then, the Board of Architectural Review approvals were obtained, City of Charleston building permits were acquired, contractors carefully undid the non-historic fabric, restored and created a family home and the next chapter for this resilient structure. The homeowners’ passion for antiques, relics and collectibles, along with their sensitive design eye resulted in self-curated spaces that are both historic and current while capturing their personalities perfectly. Perhaps the most poetic aspect of this project for us is the continuation of this centuries-old structure evolving for yet another generation.

[Photography: Callie Cranford, Charleston Home + Design magazine]

[Photography: Callie Cranford, Charleston Home + Design magazine]

[Photography: Callie Cranford, Charleston Home + Design magazine]

General Contractor: C. B. Elrod Co.

Wood Flooring: Vintage Elements of Greenwood, SC

Lighting: Urban Electric, Circa Lighting and Restoration Hardware

Cabinets: Kris Katlawski, Eurocraft Inc.

Countertops: AGM Imports

Appliances: Plugs Appliance Center

Tile: Lowcountry Tile Contractors

Click here for Charleston Home + Design magazine article.

Inspiration from Roma - Elizabeth Unique Hotel

As architects in Charleston, we are students of history successfully meeting modernity and seek out those moments when homage is paid to historic structures with meaningful renovations for current day functions. During a recent visit to Rome, we found ourselves in one such transformation at the Palazzo Pulieri Ginetti - the Elizabeth Unique Hotel. An ancient palazzo, lush and thoughtful interiors by Studio Marincola Architects, art curated by the nearby Russo Art Gallery - it’s a wonder we ever left. The architects, interior designers, artists and craftspeople involved with this hotel design struck the perfect balance of honoring the historic vessel it inhabits while offering an environment that is somehow bold and restrained at the same time; the details were as powerful as the overarching effect. Bravo, we will be learning from this one for a long time.

Entry lobby. Artist: Enrico Benetta

Monumental stair design was perfection: carrara marble, lighted gold handrails with dark wood guards. Sculpture: Enrico Benetta

Manuel Felisi’s collage anchors the stair landing. [If you know the lighting designer / manufacturer for the light fixtures, please let us know.]

Edited entry into the room, neutral colors, arches are introduced with gold accents.

Old meets new: vintage black and white sceneries printed on wall covering adds a nostalgic layer but the execution and composition is quite contemporary.

Probably the best color of blue we have ever seen was introduced on the wall separating the sleeping area from the utilities. You can see the gold accents better here.

Giorgio Tentolini’s wire net artworks. This person is a genius.

“Dandelion” by Enrico Benetta

Firefly Sunset Resort + Hope 4 Hope Town

Several years ago, we had the privilege of meeting the Irvin family and helping with the renovation of their resort in the Bahamas. Their vision and hard work created a special place in a place that was already special, Abacos. This week, Hurricane Dorian, a category 5 storm, devastated the area including lives lost, generational impact and destruction. Our hearts are heavy and we feel helpless short of spreading the word on how to help. See the links below for information about the island, resort and fundraising platforms to help.

Hope 4 Hope Town Go Fund Me

Firefly Sunset Resort Website

Firefly Sunset Resort Blog (updated information)

Sketches from Roma

“Traveling - it leaves you speechless then turns you into a storyteller.” Battuta

Professor Rodriguez did a very comprehensive job teaching our History of Architecture classes at Virginia Tech back in the day, but nothing compares to standing in front of or inside these architectural giants and studying by drawing. Here are some of the rough travel sketches, mostly exploring scale, form and massing, from our recent trip to Rome.

Our favorite view within the Piazza Del Popolo is of the (seamingly) twin churches Santa Maria di Montesano (left, 1662-75) and Santa Maria dei Miracoli (right, 1675-79) with the ancient Egyptian obelisk centered and Via del Corso starting between the churches.

Closer view of the Santa Maria di Montesano in the Piazza del Popolo; not shown is the Italian street performer next to me singing ‘Sweet Dreams’ by the Eurythmics.

There is a church every turn you make in Rome. San Giacomo in Augusta was next to our hotel and after walking past it for days, we finally peeked in…speechless. Decided to draw the floor plan to convey the mass, construction and robustness.

Interior of Santa Sabina on Aventine Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome. This sketch was rushed and does not come close to conveying the scale and reverence of this space. May need to sketch this one again.

This gives you an idea of scale of Santa Sabina, if the door was this big.

The Ponte dei Quattro Capi bridge is from 62 BC.

Historic architecture and fabric was the main focus, but finding Richard Meier’s modern Ara Pacis Museum was a highlight.

Fulton Residence: Unique Modern Living

The design of this residence began as a collaboration between Alka Construction and Rush Dixon Architects to continue the Fulton Neighborhood’s “unique modern living” approach to the built environment. We appreciate what Alka has created in this neighborhood and our collective goal was to create a “Lowcountry Modern” aesthetic that responds to the site. Prior to the commencement of construction the homeowners purchased the property; we were then able to customize the design to their passions and way of living.

The house was designed to have functional and easy spaces to live in, that can work equally well for entertaining, family time or solitude. A significant design moment is the custom wood scrim wall which not only separates the entry from the dining room, but displays artifacts from the homeowners’ many travels. We measured each of these special pieces and created several iterations of the wall detail until we landed on the best configuration.

The properties in Fulton are intentionally modest in size which creates a rich density similar to the courtyard living of neo-traditional neighborhoods like Rosemary Beach or Alys Beach. This creates a challenge when laying out the house and exterior living spaces as the goal is to create privacy and functionality. The site borders on beautiful wooded wetlands which we wanted to embrace as a natural backdrop and short view. The main entrance is centered on the dining room and living room which creates a view corridor through large full glass sliding doors to the woodlands. The master bedroom is another beneficiary of the wooded view.

Photo: Ebony Ellis

Photo: Ebony Ellis

Photo: Ebony Ellis

We were but a small part of bringing this design to reality. The homeowners and Alka took the lead on the interiors with help from Cabaret Cabinetry, Urban Electric, Inspired Closets and Tile and Stone Design Studio. Click here for more photos and drawings.