Opened in August of 2016, Great Rhythm’s new facility elegantly pairs a retail and industrial environment. The inviting tasting room and a state-of-the-art brewery space is situated along the picturesque shore of Portsmouth's North Mill Pond. The design was conceived in close collaboration with the business owners (who also served as general contractor for the project, building out many elements in the space themselves). Our objective was to reimagine an underutilized waterfront industrial building, and through adaptive re-use, create a dynamic customer experience and innovative brewing facility that complimented the revitalization of Portsmouth's up-and-coming West End neighborhood. Critical to our design was providing a striking exterior (visible from the closest street, over 1,200 feet away) as well as a welcoming entrance to Great Rhythm's tasting room. Upon entering the space visitors are greeted with an abundance of natural light and reclaimed wood, establishing a comfortable contrast to the building's pre-existing concrete surfaces and the brewery's stainless steel equipment. The windows in the tasting room look out on the North Mill Pond and into the central production area, again striking a balance between the natural and industrial. When weather allows, two oversized garage doors can be opened to bring fresh air and an even greater connection to the outdoor environment. This project was recognized by the AIANH with a 2017 AIANH Excellence in Architecture Merit Award.