Owned by Porterhouse Brewing Company, Tapped takes material inspiration from the brewery and mixes it with re-envisioned and highlighted raw materials to create a one-of-a-kind interior. The name is inspired by the fact that the majority of their offerings are on tap, with over 50 taps serving beers, wines, and even cocktails.
Third Mind Design were enlisted to transform the Porterhouse central (or you might even have known it as Judge Roy Beans) into a one of a kind venue with the longest bar in Dublin. The design team began by auditing the brewery, its construction and fabrication materials, and its products. They then applied them across the new venue in various interesting ways, and took inspiration from them for the refreshed branding.
The bespoke branding was inspired by the vast network of pipes in the brewery, and graphic elements were inspired by functional, industrial-style labelling. The logo is made up of intertwining pipes, while the labels can be seen across both physical and digital touch points, constantly drawing customers’ eyes from floor to ceiling. The website is designed in the style of these labels, and physical labels that identify certain objects of interest are attached to multiple elements of the bar’s interior – look out for a “Bar Stool”, a “Glass Brick”, and even a “Hole in a Wall”.
Sustainability was a key focus of the build and repurposing as many existing brewery elements as possible. Old kegs were re-purposed for wall panelling and purpose-built furniture, bringing elements of the brewery to life throughout the venue. A conveyor belt element of the brewery inspired the design of a one-of-a- kind bar menu.
Hanging above the bar, the menu spans 12 metres in length and has 2 stacked conveyors, all hanging from the ceiling, allowing the menu to rotate. This functional art piece holds 120 individual menu boards that slowly revolve around 3 pillars with oversized cogs, further highlighting the mechanical nature of the design and function.
The material palette was whittled down 3 core materials and colours: cast concrete, stainless steel and powder-coated red metal. With the longest bar in Dublin, a single red line of powder- coated metal further highlights this and connects other spaces throughout the venue. Along its journey, the red line morphs into different materials and functions from metal to paint to timber to upholstery – all in red – and taking the shapes of tables, seats, lighting, and counters. This extends the length of the bar from 15 to over 100 metres in length.
Powder coated metal frames create bespoke, industrial-style furniture. Unlikely materials such as sleepers and concrete blocks are used to industrialise aspects of the furniture such as tabletops and seats. Ratchet straps are used to tie certain objects together and all the furniture is tagged with the brand- specific labels to weave the branding throughout the venue.
It was important to pay respect to the original building, which is an historical structure. Third Mind Design achieved this in several ways. Stripping back years of panelling that had been added in over time exposed beautiful old historical brickwork, as well as the structural concrete and steel that was added as reinforcement over the years. All of the exposed brickwork was cleaned and treated, and this allows the ‘old brick’ to contrast beautifully with the ‘future brick’. The “ghost’’ of the original archways was re-exposed and 4 drinking counters were crafted from solid glass brick topped with untreated metal, signifying transparency and the new life and use of the building.
Tapped opened its doors on 6th October 2022 and the project took 7 months from concept to finished build. The construction itself only took 2 months of that time, as the bar had to be closed for a minimal amount of time. The cost, including every single element from construction down to individual beer mats, was nearly €1 million.
About Third Mind Design
Third Mind Design is an award winning Irish design agency wholly owned and operated by husband and wife duo Max and Emily Fedorov. The company specialises in offbeat design and pioneering new design techniques and technologies. The studio and workshop is located in Blackrock, Co. Dublin.