Green Beer: Preserving Dayton’s Industrial Legacy through Sustainable Brewing Practices

Small-scale “craft” brewing is experiencing a renaissance in American culture and has caused a cultural shift in urban communities. The movement has rapidly impacted urban development in American Rust Belt cities, and in many ways, has promoted the rehabilitation of historic buildings and districts. This project explores ways in which craft brewing has increased economic redevelopment of historic places, as well as investigating larger trends and benefits of sustainable preservation and brewing. These findings will be synthesized through the design of a proposed ‘sustainable craft brewery’ and business collective, representing the intersections of urban agriculture, historic preservation, and sustainability. Style, materiality, and brand management will be inspired by the history and culture of the Wright-Dunbar Village, which is at the cusp of economic redevelopment in Dayton, Ohio. The goal of this design intervention is to preserve the legacy of a forgotten place, while creating a new urban community and tourist destination for Dayton.