A whisky distillery in one of Tasmania's oldest towns.
Located in the rural town of Oatlands, Callington Mill Distillery is a respectful silhouette beside an adapted 1830s flour mill, a distinct point of reference among the area’s preserved Georgian sandstone buildings. Our architectural design aims to honour Oatlands' historic narrative and immerse visitors in the story of how its local whisky is made. Two gable structures are unapologetically contemporary, yet seamlessly blend with the unique heritage context.
Industry and tourism. Traditional materials and contemporary design. The result is a distillery that’s both functional and expressive - new, yet sensitive to the old.
When viewed from the courtyard of the historic mill precinct, the building sits comfortably alongside its surrounding buildings, the sandstock brick walls and corrugated metal roof directly echoing the materials of the Georgian context. The gabled form of the new distillery is also derived from historical precedents, reminiscent of utilitarian rural sheds that are common in the surrounding landscape, as well as a subtle nod to the industrial processes stored within.
Modern history.
Callington Mill is the biggest whisky distillery in Tasmania to date, and houses sizable distillation and production equipment. But the building aspires to settle respectfully into the surrounding heritage site rather than overshadow it.
In the same way that Georgian buildings are free of adornment, the new Tasmanian distillery is minimalist in appearance. Its contemporary nature is revealed through details including floor-to-ceiling glass walls that line the entry and divide the gables into two pavilions.
The angel's share.
We wanted the tourism experience to be immersive. But as Callington Mill is a working distillery, we knew it couldn’t hinder production. In our tourism architecture-led design, visitors enter on the first floor, looking down onto the aromatic stills below.
We take them through the whisky-making process chronologically, culminating in the barrel room. Here, visitors are amidst the ‘angel’s share’ – the portion of whisky that evaporates as it matures in the barrel. It’s a memorable moment, savouring the taste of whisky in the exact spot it’s made.
