Australian architect Edward Billson, founder of Hong Kong’s MAP Architecture Planning, has created architecture and interiors for China’s first winery dedicated to the production of premium sparkling wine in the Ningxia Hui region.
Taking inspiration from the dramatic Ningxia landscape and buried vines in the winter fields, Billson’s modern design contrasts with the more European-looking wineries in this expanding wind growing region.
The project consisted of developing the winery’s master plan, along with the architecture and interior design for the wine production and technical areas, office space, and the public tasting areas and dining rooms.
The key focus was to present a design that encapsulates the client, Moet Hennessy Asia Pacific’s brand. This led to the creation of a modernist aesthetic using exaggerated horizontality to integrate the building with the flat desert floor and the He Lan (Wind Horse) mountain backdrop.
A faux pise de terre wall provides a bold and striking first impression, and is offset by the wall of the fermentation cellar, which has a corrugation effect in imitation of the vineyards it overlooks.
At the same time, a palette of materials and textures with colours were chosen to match the hues of the wines, while the roof terrace offers views across the vineyards, dessert oasis and mountains.
However, Billson says that the location, weather and landscape of the site provided many design challenges. Ningxia faces harsh winters and flood-prone summers, which meant that alternative solutions had to be formed for the fermentation and cellaring of the wine.
Fermentation Cellar Wall. Image by Philip Gostelow.
Instead of the traditional practice of storing wine underground, the winery's sur latte, or second fermentation cellar, was placed above ground, and buried in the same earth that protects and nourishes the vines.
The fermentation cellar wall and sur latte cellar berm shields the heart of the working winery, while an extension of both walls easily accommodates future growth of the business and site.
Master Plan, aerial view south
The winery was officially opened in June 2013, and brings a prominent wine brand to China; one of the world’s most lucrative wine buying markets. However, the first bottles cannot be quaffed until 2014.
