New Belgium Brewing – Fort Collins
From a former parking lot to a lively outdoor beer garden experience.
What began as a basement beer experiment in 1991 is now a national craft beer leader, and its original flagship location deserved an active space to match. RVi and Open Studio Architecture transformed unused asphalt into a vibrant outdoor destination, blending flexible lawn spaces, beer gardens, and gathering areas that highlight community, craft, and sustainability.
GOALS
Founded in Fort Collins in 1991, New Belgium Brewing has become one of the best-known craft breweries in the country. Their flagship site had grown organically over the decades, but stood with an underutilized parking lot and lack of outdoor amenities that are now a staple at brewery experiences. RVi (formerly Russell + Mills Studio) worked with Open Studios Architecture to activate the outdoor space for a vibrant, energizing visitor experience on par with the brewery’s popularity, all while embracing the company’s sustainability mindset throughout design.
OUTCOMES
The site’s transformation introduced a dynamic visitor experience, complete with an open lawn and ample outdoor seating to enjoy craft beer and the company of others. The lawn replaced a former parking lot, establishing multi-tiered beer gardens where people can choose their preferred atmosphere. Spaces meander from a quieter “backyard” beer garden experience, into a second outdoor space with round cafeteria-style tables for groups to congregate, followed by a third experience shaped by large-table beer garden amenities.
The setting offers plenty of flexible, adaptive space with an open lawn that can be used for gathering, or configured to accommodate community or private events. At the west end of the lawn, a performance stage with a roof transforms the space into a concert venue accommodating up to 1,300 visitors for ticketed or free shows. At the lawn’s southeast corner, a covered, reservable area offers another space for groups. The overarching design theme was to create a seamless flow between the indoor and outdoor spaces for a dynamic guest experience.
In addition to the efforts that went into guest experience, New Belgium’s employee-owners gained a new office area with a bold design aesthetic that blends cohesively with the eclectic existing structures. Revitalizing unused parking space into an engaging beer garden experience brought renewed interest and traffic to New Belgium Brewing, positioning it as a lively, inviting establishment reflective of its prominence on the national craft brewing movement.
