Hard Water

"For me, HardWater is right now the most exciting project we are doing. Not only am I the architect, but I also get to source our vintage American Whiskey collection; which as you can imagine is a very rewarding job. In a funny way this project is an anniversary present Charles and I are giving each other – as we have now been working together for 10 years. Our goal for this bar is for it to be a place that you take your best friend, who you maybe don’t see that often, to have a drink that you know they will remember the rest of their life. I want you to have the option to buy a glass of whiskey that you probably can’t find anywhere else, and that it will be an experience that you both will cherish forever. As far as the design goes we are trying to redefine the notion of what a whiskey bar is. The tradition is one of dark wood, leather, and nicotine-stained ceilings; and I will admit to liking a few of those bars. But the ones I like are the real old ones, not a recreation. They have a patina of history, not a history created with objects from EBay. American whiskey is being rediscovered – a younger, more diverse crowd is discovering it, and I want to build a bar for them. Just because bourbon is aged in charred oak barrels doesn’t mean you need to drink it in a similar environment. This bar is bright and modern and exciting – it is not a place to hide, it is a place to celebrate."