Minden, NV

10000sf - distillery

2019

The workhorse distillery was conceived as a shrine to the holy spirits. Great care was taken to infuse the existing brick shell with a modern, contrasting, yet respectful architectural counterpart. Taking cues from the existing building, as well as the rural, agrarian vernacular of the western plains, we created simple brick volumes to house the more industrial, hazardous equipment, infilled with long expanses of channel glass to highlight the sexier distilling equipment. Knowing the creamery would house the clear spirit production, and the giant column stills associated with it, ceilings were raised along the central nave while the secondary equipment was located in the aisles to the side. Given that the building’s program would require far more floor area than that of the mill, we extended this design far to the north, while paying great attention to daylighting the spaces within.