Winter quarter 2017, we designed a 15-barrel brewery located on a small island-like site on the Mississippi river in Minneapolis, Minnesota with a restaurant, kitchen and taproom. During spring quarter 2017, a new program was added: an alcohol rehabilitation facility. We were encouraged to keep at least 70% of our brewery design from last quarter, so I essentially stacked the two bar-like forms of my previous building design to take up less space on the site to accommodate the new program (and to control circulation better in order to keep the two programs completely separate). I designed the new building and altered the existing design using design drivers from the previous quarter: site response, water flow/visitor flow, and specific space requirements to work with brite tanks in the brewery and soaking tubs in the rehabilitation space. The form of the buildings seeks to create spaces and circulation that moves people in a way that water naturally flows. My process has been rooted in making models by hand and drawing in section (both analog and digitally), but physical modeling especially.

Brewery and taproom/restaurant are a separate entity from alcohol rehabilitation spaces. Entrances are separate and on opposite ends of the site, but both are equally warm and inviting. Each of the distinctive spaces in the buildings are oriented towards the Mississippi river, to reconnect with the water no matter the life situation. Sitting on the hill across from the Mississippi river, you see shifting forms with brew tanks protruding through floors and thick heavy brick walls between Laughing Water Brewing and Healing Water Haven. The experiences of each building are completely dissociated — never would you go into both buildings. If your experience is within Laughing Water Brewing, it stays there. If your experience is within Healing Water Haven, it stays there. The two share nothing but the same site.