WRNS Studio

Set within an agricultural property south of Kailua-Kona, Kona Farm Distillery occupies the footprint of a former pre-engineered steel structure once used to store and service farm equipment. The owner’s vision for the site is rooted in cultivating coffee, tea, and local fruits on-site, then transforming those ingredients into distilled spirits crafted in an on-site still.The tasting room is conceived as an extension of that process—a space carefully designed to heighten and amplify the flavors, aromas, and character of the beverage while connecting guests directly to the surrounding agricultural landscape.

The completed project offers a hospitality experience deeply grounded in place and purpose. Sustainable production becomes a visible and memorable part of the brand, allowing visitors to witness the process behind each pour while understanding the resource management through reclaimed water and energy generation – engaging directly with the surrounding landscape, gardens, and farm. The architecture reinforces the client’s story by linking ingredients, craft, setting, and materiality into a cohesive experience. For guests, the project creates a tactile, site-specific encounter shaped by views, climate, materials, and making. For the broader community, it contributes a destination that celebrates local agriculture, the water shed known as ahupuaa, regional botanicals, and the value of building in direct relationship with land, climate, and community.