Fifth Year Architecture Studio Designs Innovation Barn Brewhouse

Students in Professor Deb Ryan’s fifth year architecture studio have designed and created a neighborhood coffee stand at the Innovation Barn in Charlotte’s Belmont neighborhood. The “circular economy” project, called Sweet Little Brewhouse, used recycled and discarded products to transform an area adjacent to an old utility building.

According to a press release from City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services, the Sweet Little Brewhouse is the first of many circular projects that will be a part of the Innovation Barn, a former horse barn that the city is redeveloping into an innovation hub for sustainability.

“Students relied primarily on purchased paint and other materials that were donated or redirected from the waste stream,” said Ryan in the release. Additionally they used a “series of wire framed gabions filled with discarded bottles to create a coffee bar in front of the Sweet Little Brewhouse. The display board beside the building was made by a lightened totem made from wooden pallets. Lastly, discarded PVC pipe was used to create additional walls, and discarded bike tires and wheels were used to create tree planters.”

The architecture students will host a public design presentation and demonstration at 1 p.m., Tuesday, April 30, at the Innovation Barn, located at 932 Seigle Ave.

Learn about more of UNC Charlotte students’ community design projects in the multimedia feature, Aspirational Development.