There were no half measures when Jameson decided to refurbish its Bow Street distillery. Its goal was to become a world-leading tourist destination, a place where people could discover its legacy and sample a whiskey straight from a Jameson cask.
The Bow St building has been home to Jameson since 1780, and its age brought significant challenges. We worked closely with conservation architect Carrig Building Fabric Consultants to protect the distillery’s historic character. We also made sure that any historic findings uncovered during the redevelopment were subject to extremely careful handling.
One of our first tasks was to remove the large copper kilns from the first floor. A specialist contractor cut them out, and we employed heavy-lifting specialists to safely take them through the front door. We then stripped the 48,000 sq ft building back to its bare walls. Retaining the building’s original character was crucial, so the old stonework that was removed was reused in other places, as was the brickwork from the kilns. Our fit-out work included an inviting bar area, offices, furniture, media and lighting, which we successfully delivered two weeks ahead of schedule.
