Seminary Hill Orchard & Cidery, the world’s first Passive House Certified cidery, has completed in Callicoon, N.Y.
The 9,300-sf project sits on 62 acres of land and houses an organic hard cider production facility, a tasting area, a commercial kitchen, and an event space. A translucent entryway will provide visitors with views of the orchard and valley. Large windows, a wraparound patio, and a balcony frame the panorama of the historic seminary and the Delaware River Valley below.
The building was designed to be a modern take on a classic “bank barn” built into the side of a hill. The change in grade was utilized to provide easy access to upper and lower levels. The main entryway pays homage to traditional Hudson Valley barns with filtered light through its gapped wood siding.
The 3,000-sf tasting and event rooms further evoke these barns through heavy timber framing and open, soaring spaces. The tasting room, event space, and support areas are clad inside and out with larch wood reclaimed from the underwater pilings of the original Tappan Zee Bridge.
The cidery was also built with sustainability in mind and is the first-of-its-kind in the fermented beverage industry built to the standards of Passive House. The water to wash the fruit and equipment comes from an on-site greywater management system and site lighting and signage are full-cut-off, dark-sky compliant to help reduce nighttime light pollution. The cidery production space and aging cave are built into the hillside in order to use the natural cooling of the earth to maintain colder temperatures needed for fruit storage and natural yeast fermentation.
River Architects was the architect and Baxter built the project. The cidery is set to open June 25, 2021.
Related Stories
Resiliency | Jul 27, 2023
'Underground climate change' can damage building foundations, civil infrastructure
A phenomenon known as “underground climate change” can lead to damage of building foundations and civil infrastructure, according to a researcher at Northwestern University. When the ground gets hotter, it can expand and contract, causing foundations to move and sometimes crack.
Sustainability | Jul 26, 2023
Carbon Neutrality at HKS, with Rand Ekman, Chief Sustainability Officer
Rand Ekman, Chief Sustainability Officer at HKS Inc., discusses the firm's decarbonization strategy and carbon footprint assessment.
Concrete | Jul 19, 2023
Public policy hindering widespread adoption of sustainable concrete
Researchers are making significant strides in reducing embedded carbon in concrete, but public policies have been slow to adopt this more sustainable option.
Sustainability | Jul 19, 2023
California lawmakers approve governor’s plan to accelerate green construction
California lawmakers recently approved Gov. Gavin Newsom’s infrastructure streamlining plan that aims to accelerate clean energy and infrastructure projects.
Sustainability | Jul 13, 2023
Deep green retrofits: Updating old buildings to new sustainability standards
HOK’s David Weatherhead and Atenor’s Eoin Conroy discuss the challenges and opportunities of refurbishing old buildings to meet modern-day sustainability standards.
Mass Timber | Jul 11, 2023
5 solutions to acoustic issues in mass timber buildings
For all its advantages, mass timber also has a less-heralded quality: its acoustic challenges. Exposed wood ceilings and floors have led to issues with excessive noise. Mass timber experts offer practical solutions to the top five acoustic issues in mass timber buildings.
Adaptive Reuse | Jul 6, 2023
The responsibility of adapting historic university buildings
Shepley Bulfinch's David Whitehill, AIA, believes the adaptive reuse of historic university buildings is not a matter of sentimentality but of practicality, progress, and preservation.
Contractors | Jun 30, 2023
Construction industry task force aims for standardized carbon reporting
A newly formed Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) task force on decarbonization and carbon reporting will address the challenges around reporting and reducing carbon emissions in the construction industry.
Apartments | Jun 27, 2023
Dallas high-rise multifamily tower is first in state to receive WELL Gold certification
HALL Arts Residences, 28-story luxury residential high-rise in the Dallas Arts District, recently became the first high-rise multifamily tower in Texas to receive WELL Gold Certification, a designation issued by the International WELL Building Institute. The HKS-designed condominium tower was designed with numerous wellness details.
Green | Jun 26, 2023
Federal government will spend $30 million on novel green building technologies
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will invest $30 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to increase the sustainability of federal buildings by testing novel technologies. The vehicle for that effort, the Green Proving Ground (GPG) program, will invest in American-made technologies to help increase federal electric vehicle supply equipment, protect air quality, reduce climate pollution, and enhance building performance.