A distillery is unlike most other projects. A distillery is often a bar, gift shop, manufacturing facility, and tour business all in one. Few other businesses have as many elements as a distillery or brewery. You need an architect who knows all the needs and regulatory requirements of such a facility. Granted, there isn’t a class or classification that recognizes an architect for a distillery, however, some architecture firms are better suited than others due to their education and experience.
What Type of Distillery Are You Opening?
This should be the first question any architect for a distillery project asks. You should be able to tell them your plans for your business. Some things you will need to be able to talk with the architect about include:
- Whether you are milling the grain on site.
- What you are making – is it going to be above 40 proof?
- How much will you be making at any one time in gallons.
- What you will store on site.
- Whether you will have a bar or restaurant attached, event space, or tasting room.
- Are you planning a gift shop?
- Will your administrative team be on-site or elsewhere?
Why Your Architect Needs This Information
Based on your plans, the building codes may differ. Things like fire suppression systems, fire exits, and firewall requirements vary based on your manufacturing process and size. The scale of your distillery can also impact design. If you are shipping cases of product, you may want a loading dock which requires a different design than if only customers buy on-site. A restaurant has its own set of building codes so an architect for a distillery or brewery with a restaurant on site must know how to make the space conform to both sets of codes.
Sandbar Architecture Has the Experience & Knowledge
No matter what type of distillery or brewery you’re planning on opening, we have the experience to ensure that the design meets your needs, fits your budget, and conforms to all local, state and national building codes. Our architects have helped design many brewery and distillery spaces with different options. We are more than just an architect for a distillery, we’re an architecture firm ready to bring your vision, large or small, to reality. Call us today at (727) 308-1773 or request a consultation online by clicking here.