ANGELA CHAU
Competition Studio

Wine is a symbol of transformation. In the state of stillness, the grapes are transformed into the wine that embodies the unique qualities and characters of the grape along with the environment it was grown in. The wine can be truly experienced when the bottle is opened and the tasters can see, smell, taste and think about the wine. For the wine tasting room, the experience of the great reveal of the wine is translated into the architecture. Visitors will approach along the path with flowing water towards the building. The white walls create a sense of mystery of what is inside, only a window gives a glimpse of what is behind. As visitors enter, the goal of the design is to use the space, structure and material to simulate the human perception, thus helping the visitors experience nature and wine. It evokes different senses such as sight, smell, taste and ultimately makes the visitors think.

The table was designed to represent the vineyard and the paths that people walk to harvest or look at the grapes. The steamed bent leg of the table mimics the methods of tying down the vines in an organized manner.



The Portuguese blue ceramic tiles called Azulejos were used as a feature wall to bring a bright contrast to the white walls. Similar to grapes that are broken down and come together to form wine, the tiles come together to form an art piece that captures the history, culture, environment, people and wine of Portugal.


Toronto Metropolitan Department of  Architectural Science Toronto, CA.