Emil Michalczewski proposes a journey to the land of the senses. Inspired by the path taken by the vine: from the sprout itself to the beverage, he created a design for a wine bar and presentation room in the building of an old pumping station on Droga Dębińska Street in Poznań. The UAP graduate's work was awarded first prize in the Interiors category in the 41st edition of the Prof. Władysław Czarnecki competition.
The design of the wine shop, made at the University of Arts in Poznań under the direction of Dr. Piotr Machowiak, emphasizes the importance of man' s senses and how much they influence his choices - in this case, wine. Emil Michalczewski also wanted to highlight the contribution and care of winemakers at every stage of production.
The presentation room was created with the goal of selecting the perfect aroma, species and vintage for each user. At each stage, visitors are faced with a choice based on their senses: taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing, so that at the end of the journey, running deep into the facility, they can specify which wines they want to taste and perhaps buy on the way out.
The open interior space has been divided into six boxes and a graded ramp surrounding it
© Emil Michalczewski
The specification of the found building of the old pumping station with its predominantly underground part gives it a basement character. Not without significance are the found materials - stone and brick, reminiscent of authentic underground wine cellars. Contrasted with the newly built structure, they create a new history of the former building.
Theopen interiorspace has been divided into six boxes, centrally located, staggered in relation to each other and supported by a steel column structure. To facilitate communication, the author designed a stepped ramp that encircles all the boxes from the outside and introduces a spiral movement, acting on the sense of balance. Each box addresses a different sense.
The presentation lounge and wine bar has been invited in the place of the old pumping station
© Emil Michalczewski
taste
The journey begins with a space concerning taste.
Grape selection plays a key function in the wine-making process. Experienced winemakers can predict the final taste based on the fruit itself, but ordinary consumers face a difficult choice, usually deciding based on the label of the corked bottle, says Emil Michalczewski.
The first two boxes involve the sense of taste and touch
© Emil Michalczewski
The beginning of personalizing wine starts with appetizers. Each sphere placed in the box contains a different flavor - referring to well-known varietals. At this stage, the selection prompts you to create your own composition.
a touch of
The ramp then leads to the next level. Here, the choice is about the soil from which the vines grow - good soil is the basis for a successful harvest, and depending on the growing region and species, the final product can vary greatly. Referring to this, the author has introduced a touch test, which will also translate into aroma and final quality. Such a test will also allow visitors to feel like an experienced winemaker checking the condition of the soil before the season.
Level 0 is the sense of taste, and -1 is touch
© Emil Michalczewski
smell
The smell of wine is counted among one of the evaluation criteria during professional wine tasting and gives a sign of the product's suitability. In the design, the choice concerns the material of the vessel in which the wine will be aged and matured.
In practice, different types of wood are used for barrels, clay amphorae still happen, and steel vats are increasingly common, the author adds.
The following spaces deal with the sense of smell and sight
© Emil Michalczewski
The selection of fragrance focuses on classic and most aromatic materials. Display bowls shaped like hanging bunches of grapes contain crushed pieces of raw materials, which contribute significantly to the final taste and aroma.
sight
In this room, the search for the perfect type of wine is narrowed down considerably. The colors of the wine translate into the destination of the serving: light, heavy, dry or sweet dishes usually influence the color of the liquor that should be served.
level -2 and -3 projections
© Emil Michalczewski
When choosing, tunnel through all the typical wine colors and decide which shade is worth staying in. A different display from the previous ones focuses attention on the light portals. The steel structure takes on color and invites you to explore the colorful box, whose light permeates the earlier spaces.
The last of the selection stages is the sense of hearing, then visitors move on to the tasting room
© Emil Michalczewski
hearing
The final selection is based on hearing. The author included here the analogy of the intensity of fermentation to the weight of the liquor. At the beginning of the process, fermentation is strongest, as can be seen in the fermentation tube. Over time, however, it weakens and the wine becomes heavier and more mature. In this box hang intimate armchairs with hidden speakers. In each of them, different music oozes, relating its tempo to the frequency of fermentation at different stages.
The ordering area is located on level +1
© Emil Michalczewski
the perfect wine
Going lower and lower down a spiral ramp, different spaces were revealed to users. Going deeper into the interior, with each level, the display became darker and darker, finally reaching the final bright room. Designed on a circular plan in the form of a light chimney with a glass ceiling, it is the culmination and conclusion of the entire journey. The waiting sommelier will inquire about the choices made to conduct the awaited tasting. The tasting is about similar wines in several vintages that are contained within the previous choices. Those leaving this place already have enough knowledge to order the perfect wine.
Theordering area is located in the highest part of the facility. Here there are touch screens so that anyone can order their favorite wine in any quantity. Privacy is added by airy linen tubes hanging from the ceiling, lit from the inside.
If you're interested in the subject of wine, check out articles about a modern wine bar in South Africa by Stanislaw Czujkowski and Kinga Gawlik, and a wine tasting pavilion in Portugal designed by Anna Lange.
