2014
Eat Drink Design Awards
Best Retail Design - High Commendation
2014
Tasmanian Architecture Awards
Sustainable Architecture - Commendation
2014
Australian Timber Design Awards
Finalist
2014
Tasmanian Architecture Awards
Commercial Architecture
Location
Grove, Tasmania
Client
Willie Smith's
Year
2013
Images
Jonathan Wherrett
Land of
South Eastern Tribe
Team
+
Ian Daun, Steve Fluke,
Tony Heron, Sten Kooloff,
Tim Gorringe, James Bell
Aldanmark
Castelian Consulting
Futago
Glen Barry + Sam Reid
Dan Green
Willie Smith's
Apple Shed
When the museum’s best artefact is the building itself.
Atop the nutrient rich soil in Tasmania’s isolated Huon Valley sits a large, rustic barn. In 1942, it was an apple packing shack. In 1980, it was an apple museum, celebrating the region’s produce. And now, The Apple Shed is part cellar door, part museum, and part home for fourth generation organic orchardists, Willie Smith.
Willie Smith ran into scepticism when they shared their idea to convert the rather rundown, unloved and cluttered shed into a cider cellar door. But we knew if it was handled sensitively, the building itself could be the museum’s top artefact. The tourist destination and community social hub proudly celebrates the region’s history while delighting those who just discover the region today.
Big apple history
From the start, we knew we wanted to make this a socially sustainable project, embedded in context. The shed has a high social and cultural value within the community as a store for memorabilia and historic stories related to the valley. To honour Willie Smith’s dedication to organic farming, we recycled and reused whatever we could. This included timber stripped from the building during restoration reimagined as the bar’s timber cladding and timber offcuts for the display casing.
Huon Valley’s apple heritage, established in the 19th and 20th centuries, has only recently been revitalised. Thanks to a boon in organic farming and microbrewing, Tasmania has rediscovered its historic apple-growing expertise. We subtly employed the Smith’s family history as an interpretive tool to narrate the booms and busts of the region, placing Willie Smith’s brand in its right historical context too.
Simplicity at its core
In the project’s first phase, we restored the apple packing shed. To introduce natural light and expose the original volume within the shed frame, we removed internal walls and clutter and refurbished the original industrial doors.
We then added a new insertion with bar, retail point, kitchen, prep area and office space to fit the functional brief. It made sense to us that the bar was made from materials we had on hand. We built the base from recycled timber and the top from unbranded cardboard packing boxes. We then carved openings and serving areas from this monolithic form.
Through a partnership with graphic designers, we created a museum filled with Huon Valley apple industry memorabilia and pieces of equipment. To separate the museum and cider tasting bar, we built a now well renowned display of 394 apple varieties. We sourced these apples from the heritage orchard to detail the vast range of colours and varieties, many of which are all but obsolete elsewhere.
We have fond memories of stacking boxes on the night before opening, then downing our tools for a big feast and BBQ with the local tradesmen who’d collaborated on the project. It felt like the right way to commemorate a venture characterised by community and celebration of regional produce. And a design that balanced materials, brand and context to create a cohesive story.
WILLIE SMITH'S
APPLE SHED
When the museum’s best artefact is the building itself.
Atop the nutrient rich soil in Tasmania’s isolated Huon Valley sits a large, rustic barn. In 1942, it was an apple packing shack. In 1980, it was an apple museum, celebrating the region’s produce. And now, The Apple Shed is part cellar door, part museum, and part home for fourth generation organic orchardists, Willie Smith.
Willie Smith ran into scepticism when they shared their idea to convert the rather rundown, unloved and cluttered shed into a cider cellar door. But we knew if it was handled sensitively, the building itself could be the museum’s top artefact. The tourist destination and community social hub proudly celebrates the region’s history while delighting those who just discover the region today.
2014
Eat Drink Design Awards
Best Retail Design - High Commendation
2014
Tasmanian Architecture Awards
Sustainable Architecture - Commendation
2014
Australian Timber Design Awards
Finalist
2014
Tasmanian Architecture Awards
Commercial Architecture
Location
Grove, Tasmania
Client
Willie Smith's
Year
2013
Images
Jonathan Wherrett
Land of
South Eastern Tribe
Team
+
Ian Daun, Steve Fluke,
Tony Heron, Sten Kooloff,
Tim Gorringe, James Bell
Aldanmark
Castelian Consulting
Futago
Glen Barry + Sam Reid
Dan Green
Big apple history
From the start, we knew we wanted to make this a socially sustainable project, embedded in context. The shed has a high social and cultural value within the community as a store for memorabilia and historic stories related to the valley. To honour Willie Smith’s dedication to organic farming, we recycled and reused whatever we could. This included timber stripped from the building during restoration reimagined as the bar’s timber cladding and timber offcuts for the display casing.
Huon Valley’s apple heritage, established in the 19th and 20th centuries, has only recently been revitalised. Thanks to a boon in organic farming and microbrewing, Tasmania has rediscovered its historic apple-growing expertise. We subtly employed the Smith’s family history as an interpretive tool to narrate the booms and busts of the region, placing Willie Smith’s brand in its right historical context too.
Simplicity at its core
In the project’s first phase, we restored the apple packing shed. To introduce natural light and expose the original volume within the shed frame, we removed internal walls and clutter and refurbished the original industrial doors.
We then added a new insertion with bar, retail point, kitchen, prep area and office space to fit the functional brief. It made sense to us that the bar was made from materials we had on hand. We built the base from recycled timber and the top from unbranded cardboard packing boxes. We then carved openings and serving areas from this monolithic form.
Through a partnership with graphic designers, we created a museum filled with Huon Valley apple industry memorabilia and pieces of equipment. To separate the museum and cider tasting bar, we built a now well renowned display of 394 apple varieties. We sourced these apples from the heritage orchard to detail the vast range of colours and varieties, many of which are all but obsolete elsewhere.
We have fond memories of stacking boxes on the night before opening, then downing our tools for a big feast and BBQ with the local tradesmen who’d collaborated on the project. It felt like the right way to commemorate a venture characterised by community and celebration of regional produce. And a design that balanced materials, brand and context to create a cohesive story.
