Renovation of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery

For the renovation of the oldest Guinness brewery in the United States, established since 1954 at Relay in Maryland, the company reSAWN Timber supplied its NIGIRI wood: Accoya charred by the Japanese shou sugi ban method, which naturally protects the cladding by carbonising the surface. This technique adds depth and relief to the natural grain of Accoya without altering its properties, the wood remaining guaranteed for 50 years above ground and 25 years in ground contact. The boards were charred only on the face exposed to the weather, then given a grey topcoat to harmonise the tone of the cladding with the rest of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery facilities. The project was designed by the architecture practice Design Collective and delivered with the developer Plano Coudon Construction, bringing together brewing heritage and a new generation of sustainable timber.