Germany’s Oktoberfest, the world’s largest beer festival held every year in Munich, will not take place in 2021 due to the coronavirus crisis. The pandemic has forced the cancellation of the hugely popular festival for the second consecutive year, but the revelry of the annual celebration can still be shared in smaller venues here stateside. This past weekend, the Kirby Ice House Beer Fest was a Who’s Who among local and Texas breweries and an inspired tribute to the great Oktoberfest held in Munich.Houston has a proud tradition of icehouses, the neighborhood joint where people can gather for a cold drink. They’ve become much more polished over the years and have evolved from tiny convenience stores to full-fledged hospitality destinations. But at their heart, the icehouse is still a welcoming place for friends and families to gather.
PRISM has worked with many architects, designers, developers, and owners to produce renderings that depict the warmth and inviting feel of these community establishments. Typical of the icehouse is the indoor/outdoor connection. Renderings are beneficial to show how a space transforms when the perimeter doors are completely opened. Icehouses also tend to have an outdoor area that can be used for games, live performances, or even letting the dogs run loose, and renderings are great to show this flexibility. Details, finishes, and exterior materials are what make each icehouse unique.