GRIZZLY PAW BREWERY AND PRODUCTION FACILITY

Contemporary and traditional architecture collide to create this unique industrial building in Canmore.

Client: Grizzly Paw Brewing Company

Location: Canmore, AB

Project Type: Buildings

About This Project

Contemporary and traditional architecture collide to create this unique industrial building in Canmore. The Grizzly Paw Brewery houses brewing, distilling and warehousing, and allows for office space, future tasting and touring areas—all while maintaining a striking architectural appearance.

The Brewery was developed by Lloyd McLean Architects/Russell and Russell Design Studios with the structural engineering expertise of Cascade Engineering Group (now part of ISL). The 22,000 square foot facility has a concrete foundation and a concrete/steel composite mezzanine floor; exterior timber frame; 90,000 board feet of glulam and heavy timber; rod braced frame; and a fire rated, wood decked roof. The building design also incorporated a rhombus plan, multiple gable roof, large windows for street views of the brewing, and a firewall to separate the distillery from the larger building.

First designed in steel, the building was redesigned with wood to better meet the project budget (the steel option was also seen as too complicated for some suppliers). This redesign added charm to the already impressive exterior and interior.

The interior mezzanine was constructed of concrete/steel composite materials, elevating some of the process equipment and tanks 20’ above the main slab while holding the heavy weight and providing a view through the high windows.