Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Colin Drake of JRA Architects has led the transformation of a former farm into a bourbon-tasting experience complex, nestled in the rolling hills of Oldham County in Louisville, comprising a nationally registered historic mansion, a glass conservatory, and a visitor’s center.
The state’s rich tradition in horses, food, agriculture, and bourbon are all featured in a single location, spread across a legendary and picturesque, 658-acre, agrarian landscape.
The Hermitage Farm’s renovation project has received a 2022 American Architecture Awards Honorable Mention from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
A short walk from thoroughbred foal grazing fields, visitors start their journey at the rehabilitated Polo Barn Welcome and Retail Center.
The historic horse and cattle barn was left almost entirely intact, while careful renovation work added modern systems and functional amenities to allow patrons to experience the space much as it had been for decades.
The old stud barn has been transformed into a visitors’ center showcasing vintage carriages and carriage horses as well as documentation of the Hermitage Farm’s past history.
Existing horse stalls delineate the first floor, creating intimate seating rooms that divide the main restaurant seating aisle from the bar and kitchen.
The visitors’ first impression is of the bourbon barrel rick that rises to the full height of the building and embraces the grand public stair.
The soaring hayloft encompasses the entire upper level, providing space for daily tourist orientation and a destination for weddings and large events.
Bourbon tastings are hosted in various locations and warm-season events often make use of the adjacent conservatory.
Hermitage will continue to add art, outdoor events, and bourbon-related amenities across the property, as they aim to give guests a relaxing encounter with all things Kentucky.
Project: Hermitage Farm
Architects: JRA Architects
Lead Architect: Colin Drake
General Contractor: Wescott Construction LLC.
Client: Hermitage Farm
Photographers: Matt Peel Photography and JRA Architects
