Craft, Landscape & Ambition

The Gun Brewery architectural silhouette

Designing the New Gun Brewery at Hawthbush Farm

Nestled deep within the Sussex Weald, Hawthbush Farm is a place shaped by landscape, history and craft. Set across 140 acres of organic farmland and framed by the rolling South Downs, it is both beautiful and quietly industrious — a working environment rooted in nature and community.

It is here that Gun Brewery began brewing in 2015. In less than a decade, it has built a reputation for exceptional beer, sustainable practice and creative independence. As the business grew — and its following expanded — the brewery made a pivotal decision: to create a new production facility, cold store and tap room designed to secure its future and express its ethos.

REAFE STUDIO was commissioned to help shape that vision — translating the brand’s principles of craft and authenticity into a physical environment that could support production, welcome visitors and sit harmoniously within its landscape.

Designing with the Land, Not Against It

Our approach began with the landscape. Hawthbush Farm has a distinct rhythm — its barns, textures and silos form a natural hierarchy that any new intervention must respect. The brief demanded functionality; the response demanded sensitivity.

Rather than designing a statement building, we created an architecture of quiet confidence — one that takes cues from agricultural typologies and the vernacular beauty of Sussex farm structures.

Key design principles included:

• Low visual impact within the rolling Wealden terrain

• Material honesty inspired by the working farm context

• Efficient movement between production, storage and logistics

• Clear zoning between public, private and operational areas

• Welcoming access for visitors, staff and suppliers

The result is a structure that feels anchored to the landscape — robust, functional, and naturally at home.

A Place to Make, Taste & Gather

At the heart of the project lies the new tap room — a space where production, community and hospitality converge.

The interior architecture is simple, tactile and generous. Views into the brewing hall provide transparency and a sense of theatre; communal seating encourages conversation; natural light filters across timber, brick and steel surfaces, revealing the honest beauty of materials in use.

Every design decision — from the bar layout to the window orientation — supports a shared experience of place, process and product. Visitors can taste the beer within metres of where it’s brewed, framed by the farm’s woodland edge and open skies.

It’s an atmosphere that feels both crafted and effortless — a natural extension of Gun Brewery’s spirit.

A Collaborative, Craft-Led Journey

Working closely with the Gun Brewery team, REAFE STUDIO led a multi-layered design process that balanced ambition with practicality. The scope included:

• Concept Development

• Masterplanning

• Landscaping

• Architectural Interventions

• Production Space Design & Planning

• Interior Architecture & Design

Each stage was rooted in collaboration — ensuring the resulting design would serve both operational needs and the brewery’s long-term vision.

The new facility delivers industrial efficiency without losing its soul. It’s a project that unites agriculture, industry and hospitality into a single, coherent expression of craft.

A Bold Future, Rooted in Place

The expansion at Hawthbush Farm marks a new chapter for Gun Brewery — one that celebrates the land, embraces community and sustains the values that have defined its success.

The architecture doesn’t compete with its surroundings; it complements them. Quietly confident, beautifully functional and made to last, the new Gun Brewery embodies the best of modern rural design: an environment where craft and landscape meet — and where the story of independent brewing in Sussex continues to evolve.

Interested in talking about a retail project?

REAFE STUDIO works with brands, makers and developers to create environments where commercial ambition meets crafted architectural experience.
If you’d like to explore how our approach could support your next project, we’d be delighted to talk.