Cellar doors used to be the domain of empty, lacquered oak barrels and plastic grapevine adornments, but as Australia’s wine tastes and expertise have refined, so has cellar door design.
Carr Design’s recent addition to the Willow Creek Vineyard shows a very sophisticated, grown-up approach to the wine experience.
“The architecture and interior reflect a powerful, contemporary design that sits embedded in the dramatic surrounds and adjacent to the original Edwardian residence,” says Emily Unger, Senior Interior Designer, Carr Design Group.
A ‘caged’, glazed façade offers a dramatic first impression to the cluster of buildings in brick and timber.
“The steel mesh alludes strongly to agriculture and the rural landscape and disguises the existing, previously unrelated, architectural forms,” Emily says.
Of course, the new cellar door and bistro will always play second fiddle to the wine and wine production in many ways. To this end, a limited palette of natural timbers and stone offer a beautiful canvas to the produce on show, while the bistro and deck make the most of the breathtaking views.
“Carr’s approach was to integrate the winery into the landscape, echoing Willow Creek’s belief that the vineyard is of utmost importance.” The workings of the cellar itself are visible with a glass wall revealing the barrels in action (so to speak).
Work like this makes us so glad Australia has come to be a world leader in wine-making and that our understanding of good design has accompanied it.
Willow Creek Vineyard
willow-creek.com.au
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