634 Orange Street + Wetlands Sake

A dual-scope project, this renovation of a former automotive workshop warehouse was completed with two tenant spaces — a sake brewery and a commissary kitchen serving the Brennan family of restaurants. 

practis undertook the full-building renovation and the Wetlands Sake space — the first sake brewery in Louisiana, and a fully women-owned business. The existing single-story warehouse was fully reclad and reroofed to create a water-tight structure, incorporate insulation, and replace deteriorated materials. The steel frame, long-span structure is expressed throughout the interior, and painted bright colors in the brewery to highlight the members. 

A deep porch spans the front of the building, with a new, asymmetrical canopy including drainage and integral lighting. Concrete planters, steps, and a ramp create a series of layers to entry and eliminate the need for guardrail infill. A pattern of two tones of blue metal siding adds a playful quality to the exterior, offset by the bright white of the canopy structure.

Wetlands Sake was conceived as a brewery that would have an educational, exhibitionist quality. A front-of-house tasting room (complete with sake bar) and interior glazing allow for expansive views onto the brewing floor. Programmatic elements include rice preparation rooms, a rear employee entrance, additional storage, and an office. 

The brewery and commissary share a lobby and restrooms off the front porch, and an open-air, rear service corridor with a gentle slope allows for easy deliveries from the side street.

Location New Orleans Completed 2020 Size 15,775 sf