Action as Conceptual Design
Winemaking as a Design Concept
“Color is dangerous. It is a drug, a loss of consciousness, a kind of blindness” -Batchelor
The process of making wine is one that has been reproduced for thousands of years, it is an intrinsic part of many cultures. Winemaking is even referenced in sacred texts, from Gilgamesh to the Bible.
The secret behind compelling interior design projects has to be the extensive thought of the emotions and perceptions of the user. Whether the project is supposed to shock, nurture, heal, or abhor the people meant to experience it. Orvay Bar took the process of winemaking as its inspiration for the feel of the space. Including the aesthetic of the historical context in which it is located: A medieval passage, on which fairs jousting, tournaments, and other activities were celebrated as far back as the XIII century. The designers took this rich heritage by utilizing the materials in the exterior context and bringing them inside the wine bar.
‘Color is dangerous. It is a drug, a loss of consciousness, a kind of blindness — at least for a moment. Color requires, or results in, or perhaps just is, a loss of focus, of identity, of self.’ (Batchelor, 2000) While we intoxicate ourselves with wine, we might lose focus, forget ourselves, and find our inhibitions relaxed. The process that is represented through color and materials also relaxes the user, who in turn might forget whether they are inside or outside.
One might visually go through the stages of winemaking on the interior of the bar: extraction, distillation, reflection of the tints, and fermentation of the grapes. The interior was mostly left without décor except for red-tinted circular mirrors, which resemble a glass of red wine. Seeing through a red wine glass, the tints of red throughout the design exemplify shades of warm colors and natural materials. That is until we see the other perspective and a striking color change. ‘So these colors are of the same nature and the same palette of the surrounding area, whereas we walk further inside the building they become more particular, more unique, more relevant to the specific space as opposed to the broader context of the city.’ (Karandinou, 2020)
The other element shown in this facet of the space is the use of this contrasting color, a dark green reserved for larger groups provides a more private secluded feel. “We also liked the chromatic relationship that was generated between the three rooms, so there is no need for an element that separates them physically.” (Levy, et al., 2018) The interesting balance between the rugged, inspired materials in Orvay Bar, is an inspiration for a response to historical contexts.
References
Batchelor, D., Le Corbusier, Adolf, L. & Serres, M., 2011. Toward a New Interior An anthology of Interior Design Theory. 1 ed. New York(New York): Princeton Architectural Press.
Levy, N. (2018). Barcelona’s Orvay bar takes design cues from winemaking. [online] Dezeen. Available at: https://www.dezeen.com/2018/11/26/barcelona-orvay-bar-isern-serra-winemaking/
