Over-The-Rhine Brewery


  • Caption
    Render of Interior
Related people
Skyla Leavitt (was created by)
Troy Malmstorm (studio professor)
Jacqueline Gargus (studio professor)
Date
Fall 2014
Location
North and Central America->United States->Ohio->Cincinnati
Description
The Over-The-Rhine district of Cincinnati, Ohio has a rich history of breweries and is also the site of the oldest surviving row-house neighborhood from the 1900s. It is currently in the process of being restored and preserved. Naturally, a prime location for a brewery is next to the well-known Findlay Market at the heart of the district.
My brewery proposal maintained an existing three story row-house on the site and used this structure to drive the form and aesthetic for the rest of the project. I believed complimenting the surrounding site and highlighting the existing architecture of the area was important due to its prominent history. The best way to do this was to employ a system which organized interior programs while simultaneously achieving a certain exterior aesthetic. In my system a bar of space pierces the existing building and extends all the way from Glass Alley to Findlay St., effectively connecting the two by an interior road which would serve as a loading dock and circulation space for brewery staff, allowing them to carry out all steps of the brewing process efficiently. I then attached all other necessary programs onto this bar of space.
All of the brewing program is located on the Race St. side of the site while the restaurant and beer garden (including a stage, bar/food service, and a bocce ball court) are located at the back of the site facing the Findlay Market lot. This allowed the circulation bar to effectively split the 'business' and 'pleasure' aspects of the design with the exception of the existing building, which acts as an entrance and lobby for the public. I essentially used the existing building to bridge the private brewery spaces allowing access to the back of the site from Race St. and also as a means of access to the third floor restaurant. In addition, glazing between the lobby and most of the brewing spaces allows the public to see much of the brewery process when they enter the lobby. On the exterior this allowed the Race St. facade to mimic and continue the interstitial spaces and 20th century aesthetic of the other buildings lining the street by using an enclosing structure of each step of the brewing process to mimic the joined facades of the nearby row-housing.
Concrete masonry brick units complement the vernacular brick used in the area while still bringing attention to the brewery and allowing the existing building to become a centerpiece. At the corner of the site the project makes a transition into a more modern aesthetic with smooth poured concrete finishes and more open fenestration and glazing. The third floor fully glazed restaurant cantilevers over the beer garden to provide shade and shelter for guests. The restaurant is directly connected to the bar on the third floor of the existing building where patrons would enter and have the opportunity to lounge and buy a drink while they wait for a table. To add a measure of sustainability, rooftop gardens were incorporated and provide welcoming terraces to both employees and guests; the kitchen even has its own vegetable garden.
My proposal for Troy Brewery focused on complimenting the local architecture and history as well as providing both a welcoming and accommodating brewery design that promotes productivity in its business aspects and a pleasant experience for the public.
Section/Discipline
Architecture
Degree
Undegraduate
Style/Period
2010s (2010 - 2019)
Academic Class
Junior