Gage Roads Brew Co, FremantleFit-out, construction, and repurposing of the historic A-Shed into a vibrant contemporary waterfront venue.
Sector: Hospitality + Heritage
Contract Type: Invited Tender
Client: Good Drinks
Lead Consultant: Aria Projects
Location: Fremantle
Value: $10m
Duration: 26 weeks
Completed: 2023
The iconic A-Shed building, vacant for many years within the Fremantle Port, underwent a remarkable transformation by ICS Australia into one of Perth’s largest and most popular micro-brewery, restaurant, bar and al-fresco areas. Built in 1925, the historical building is 100 metres long and over 3000m2 in total area.
The scope of works involved removal and replacement of the asbestos roof structure with new steel cladding as well as lead paint removal and repaint of the complete exterior and interior of the building. Structural works were required to support the venue layout and the large brewery tanks.
Adaptive reuse and retention of the historical existing structure, materials and features was the aim to create a sense of timeless continuation of use. Half of the existing building sits over the water which provided some degree of difficulty for the distribution of new mechanical and electrical supplies.
Fit-outs for the bars, restaurant, two-storey office, bathrooms and kitchen required the majority of the concrete flooring to be removed, subsoil excavation for the brewery processes and new floor tiles.
The works also incorporated a beer garden and external children’s play area, themed to the site’s nautical history.
This project faced several challenges, including navigating COVID-19 restrictions, supply chain restraints, working over water, operating in a live environment and coordination with Fremantle Ports. Success hinged on ongoing communication with stakeholders, meticulous planning and detailed documentation including environmental plans and controls.
Despite these obstacles, the project was completed on schedule, to budget and to the client’s required high standard.