Stählemühle

The international architecture office PHILIPP MAINZER OFFICE FOR ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN completes the conversion of an old mill estate, Stählemühle, in Eigeltingen, near Bodensee in south Germany into a high end fruit distillery. Making up a total of 143 sqm, the conversion by PHILIPP MAINZER comprises the distillery, the degustation and tasting space on the estate.

Equipped with the license to distil since the 19th century, the old mill estate disused since 1976 was bought by Christoph Keller in 2004. After refurbishing the old residential house and converting the old pig house into an office, PHILIPP MAINZER OFFICE FOR ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN was commissioned to conceptualise and plan the execution of the conversion of part of the buildings into a high end distillery with degustation and tasting space.

The conversion comprises the 26 sqm distillery, the 31 sqm tasting space and the 86 sqm degustation space. With the main focus in the distillery being the new distillery boiler, a custom designed pot still built by the German copper smith Arnold Holstein, PHILIPP MAINZER tidied up the space, eliminating destructing elements and installing clean, hygienic and natural surfaces and installing a new lighting design. The adaption of a 31 sqm space above the distillery into the tasting space saw the architecture office maintain authentic features such as the wood cladding and cast iron stove. The floor was replaced with raw smoked oak flooring with a soap finish. For the fit out PHILIPP MAINZER chose the seating bench HP01 TAFEL by e15 and a custom made copper version of the light LT02 SEAM TWO also by e15, taking up the material of the distillery. Here the architecture office also designed a bespoke sideboard folding out as a mini kitchen.

For the conversion of the 86 sqm silo into the degustation PHILIPP MAINZER maintained the exposed concrete on walls and ceiling and put in new asphalt flooring, continuing the general material choice. With the overall aim to create a clean space with pure lines, a bespoke wall-mounted shelving system from metal grid with incorporated LED back lighting lining both walls, adds a theatrical presentation of the fine spirits. Through the filled carboys the structure of the concrete walls are theatrically enlarged. E15 TA01 PONTE tables and BE01 CALLE benches add some warmth to the space, inviting the visitor to linger. For the narrow elongated entrance to the main degustation space, PHILIPP MAINZER inserted new walls with a cut out light box stretching the length of the right hand wall to present the bottled finished product.

Konzept und Ausführungsplanung: PHILIPP MAINZER OFFICE FOR ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
Projektleitung: Johanna Egenolf, Anke Wollbrink
Ausführendes Architekturbüro: Alois & Alexander Stemmer