How can we shape a space that holds its past with care while making room for something new—something that invites people in, encourages curiosity, and helps us find each other again?

Keeping Together Brewing transforms a former plant nursery in Santa Fe into a brewery that holds space for both reflection and possibility. Rooted in a city with deep cultural and historical significance, the design doesn’t try to overwrite the past—it works with it, honoring what was while inviting something new to emerge. It asks: what if coming to a brewery could be more than transactional—what if it could be a small act of reflection, reconnection, and discovery? Guests are encouraged to approach, arrive, and explore, engaging with the space in a way that opens up curiosity, connection, and a deeper relationship to place and community.

The concept of the space unfolds through three phases: approaching, arriving, and exploring. Together, they shape the guest experience through intentional pacing, sensory engagement, and personal agency.

Approaching begins before you even step inside. We all carry impressions—memories, assumptions about what a brewery should be. At Keeping Together, the path to the taproom is designed to gently shift that mindset. As you wind through a landscaped route and pass through the breezeway, glimpses of light, sound, and movement invite curiosity. It’s more than just a walkway—it’s a threshold, a moment to slow down, take in your surroundings, and let go of what you expected.

Arriving is the moment of transition—when you begin to engage with the space through your senses. This is felt in the shift from the narrow vestibule to the open greenhouse taproom. The ceiling lifts, light pours in, and the contrast releases a quiet tension. It’s grounding and freeing all at once, an invitation to slow down and discover what’s waiting beyond.

Exploring is when the space becomes yours. As you move through it, you find tucked-away corners, varied seating, and landscaped edges that blur the line between indoors and out. You taste beers brewed just steps away, talk to a stranger, find a quiet moment alone, or laugh with friends. The space is layered and flexible—built for reflection as much as celebration. Every visit will feel a little different because because your experience is shaped not just by the space, but by how you connect with it.

Rather than designing for one kind of guest or one kind of visit, Keeping Together Brewing honors the complexity of place and people. It leans into Santa Fe’s deep cultural and agricultural roots while offering a contemporary experience that feels light, playful, and full of possibility. It’s a space that invites us to reconnect—not just with each other, but with how we want to move through the world.

Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Sector: Public / Community Spaces, Brewery
Status: In Construction, Expected Completion, Summer 2025
Size: 15,000 sf
Services: Architecture
Project Type: Commercial