Talea Beer Co., New York

Talea Beer co. is a woman and veteran owned and operated craft Brewery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn – the first of its kind. With design and architecture by Carpenter & Mason, the design of the space is inspired by the women textile designers of the Bauhaus; talented women who were at the time relegated to “domestic crafts” such as weaving and pattern making.

The design aesthetic is a rejection of the male dominated, DIY aesthetic often seen in Tap Rooms and the space is decidedly “not rustic” while still paying homage to the industrial materials (concrete, brick and steel) of the former warehouse space. Much like a 3 dimensional textile, materials weave through the space and travel from room to room and amongst surfaces. While the color palette is primarily earthy and neutral, colors occur in abundance and often intentionally clash.

Carpenter & Mason also commissioned women designers/fabricators to fill the space. Talea is the first location to feature ceramic artist Helen Levi’s brand new textured tile line. Custom lighting – inspired by the geometry of stacked cans – was created specifically for Talea by up and coming lighting designer Tatiana Pajkovic.

Warm tones pay homage to the hazy and fruit based colors of their craft beer; patterns reflect the intricacy of their branded graphic design, while remaining more subdued to create a backdrop for the bold can design – created by graphic designer studio IWANT – to shine.

The space is organized into Brewing, Retail and Bar spaces and features open flex space with the idea that this location can serve as a home away from home. The design brief also required an inclusive and family friendly design (in fact, every member of the main project team – architect, Clients, site super and GC became parents during project design and construction!) and the openness of the space is conducive to hazy, all day hangouts.