Steamworks Brew Pub
Location: 375 Water Street, Vancouver · Type: Heritage Retrofit · Hospitality · Year: 1995
In 1995, Soren Rasmussen retrofitted the foot of the heritage Gastown building at 375 Water Street into Steamworks Brew Pub — and did so not only as its architect but as its co-founding partner, alongside Eli Gershkovitch.
Extensive renovations and interior design shaped the two-storey brewpub around a signature idea: brewing beer with the building's existing underground steam supply — the feature that gave Steamworks its name. The work encompassed the brewing facilities, the wine storage and tasting room, the überlounge, and the spiral staircase connecting the two floors; the firm later enlarged the restaurant again with the Steamworks Café.
From an initial 184 seats, Steamworks grew into one of Vancouver's landmark brewpubs, occupying the base of The Landing — the very warehouse complex Rasmussen had converted seven years earlier. Gershkovitch bought out Rasmussen's share of the business in 1997; the pub continues to this day.
The studio's photography for this project has not yet been recovered from the archives.
