Unbuilt (2018) - The proposed Cellar Door picks up on the pops of colour scattered throughout the vineyard as well as a touch of sparkle through the metallic speck in the cladding to add a shimmer to the overall quality.
Located in the picturesque Adelaide Hills in Kenton Valley, Nova Vita Wines engaged Skein to design a Cellar Door and associated wine production facilities. Driven by the aspirational and strong client branding, Skein sought a design vision that echoed the brand, something that had strong connection with the wine label’s heritage but with a fresh aesthetic that stood out in its open landscape setting.
Set on a site within an established vineyard, Skein developed a low-lying, single storey structure that sat atop the rolling landscape and focussed patron connection to the panoramic views. The building proposed would be optimised as a multi-function venue for wine tasting and appreciation by day and weddings, events, and dinners by night. Environmental control, both heating and cooling, was critical to delivering a comfortable internal environment and Skein developed a contemporary external shading system allowing winter sun to penetrate internal spaces, while reducing direct summer sun. The shading system also serves as a veil to soften the building edge and to create a strong, yet subtle, architectural identity.
The design considered access and approach from the existing road / driveway to cellar door as key to framing patron arrivals and views to the landscape from the cellar door and restaurant as a priority with a focus on the vineyards. The building form and footprint were to be intimate, simple, yet strong and speak to the sophistication of benchmark images supplied and current identity of Nova Vita Wines. Internal environments were to be sophisticated yet economical in terms of build cost and to cater to a customised experience of service and the creation of smaller intimate areas within a larger operational framework.
The wine production facilities and storage needed to be within easy access of the cellar door but without being overbearing or intrusive aesthetically.
As lead Architect, Skein worked with secondary consultants such as planners, traffic engineers, mechanical engineers, and certifiers adhering to Adelaide Hills planning regulations and environmental conditions. Fire services engineers were engaged to develop a rational and compliant approach and to gain feedback on the crucial requirements around services placement and capacities and fire truck access to integrate with the cellar door without compromising the design and visitor experience.
Skein developed a thorough understanding of the planning and approval process in the rural Adelaide Hills Watershed Primary Production zone liaising directly with Adelaide Hills Council to negotiate a speciality license for weddings and events, strengthening the client business case and development vision. A crucial aspect of the viability of a venue was to generate revenue via multiple income streams. For the commercial kitchen, Skein worked with a restaurateur and mechanical specialists on the design requirements for a multi-function event space servicing wine tasting by day and wedding dinners by night.
Venue patronage is a key considering when discussing venues in the Adelaide Hills as visitation levels and storm and wastewater system requirements can trigger non-complying outcomes. As a result of working on this hills-based project, Skein understand the importance of increasing patron numbers the associated flow-on effects.
Working hand in hand with environmental engineers from the outset Skein developed a thorough overview of the on-site management of wastewater system and sub-surface irrigation requirements. Waste treatment is especially critical in remote Adelaide Hills sites and Skein now have a solid foundation of experience and understanding of the EPA approval process dealing with wastewater treatment and design liaise with the Waste Project Officers and Environmental Health representatives of Adelaide Hills Council. Feasibility, Concept Design and Planning Approval Architectural drawings and documentation suitable to obtain full development approval.
The project achieved full development approval and was slated to begin in 2018, however, due to unforeseen events, remains un-built.
Architecture: Skein
Engineering: Triaxial Consulting
Transport Planning: Cirqa
Renders: Samee Sultani