As I felt inspired by my gin distillery project from this year, I would like to share an example of quite a unique looking gin distillery based in the UK. This is the gin distillery of Bombay Sapphire in Hampshire designed by Heatherwick Studio. It is an amazing piece of architecture in a beautiful location.
Heatherwick Studio were commissioned by Bombay Sapphire to create their first in house production facility which would also be open to the public. Formerly the site was a water powered paper mill consisting of more than forty derelict buildings. Most of these buildings were of historical significance and have been restored and regenerated as Heatherwick Studios master plan for the site. The company also wanted to include the river in the design which had previously been hidden by high sided concrete channel.
Heatherwick Studios designed two new glasshouses to grow specimens of the 10 exotic species used in Bombay Sapphires distillation process. One glasshouse contains a humid tropical environment while the other a dry and temperate Mediterranean climate. These partially sit within the water of the river. There is a connection from the glasshouses to the still house to allow the wasted heat from the distillation process to be recycled to maintain the warm climates within the glasshouses.
There are many things that I like about this project, firstly I really like the almost fluid design of the glasshouses, how they sit within the river environment and how they complement the old mill buildings that surround them. This project gives a welcome combination with old and modern architecture. Additionally; I love the way that these glasshouses have been used to house the species that Bombay Sapphire uses for their distillation process.
Another aspect that I like is the sustainability elements that Heatherwick Studio has considered in creating the connection between the still house and the glasshouses to recycle wasted heat from the distillation process to maintain the optimum climate inside the glasshouses for the species to thrive.
(All images will remain the property of Heatherwick Studio).
Websites to have a look at:
More information can be found through the very informative website ArchDaily:
http://www.archdaily.com/554750/bombay-sapphire-distillery-heatherwick-studio
Also Heatherick Studio has a great website where many of their projects can be viewed. Please have a look, their projects are all amazing:
http://www.heatherwick.com/distillery/
And if you are interested in Gin, here is the website for Bombay Sapphire:
