A wine-tasting room dominated by colour

The area between the river Po and the Apennine foothills in the northern Italian province of Reggio Emilia is a wine-producing region devoted predominantly to the cultivation of Lambrusco grapes. The area is home to almost two thousand hectares of vineyards managed by members of Emilia Wine, a cooperative formed in 2014 in Arceto (RE) through the merger of four historic local wineries with the aim of preserving the area’s winemaking tradition while looking to the future. The cooperative commissioned the practice Studio Apostoli to design a versatile and welcoming tasting room with a strongly contemporary style that would reflect the growing trend amongst consortia to build their own distinctive brand identities. In keeping with the concept of an original tasting and promotional space, the architecture firm devoted greater attention to the Emilia Wine tasting room than is standard practice in the world of retail design. “The project required a detailed analysis of the location from an architectural and emotional perspective so that its function as a tasting room would be clearly perceptible while adopting an aesthetic more normally associated with retail spaces in other sectors,” explains Alessandro Apostoli. “Rather than a straightforward reproduction of a traditional wine cellar, the space evokes classical forms while giving them a more modern look through the use of colour and an original interpretation of materials,” he continues. In particular, the natural brushed oak used for items of furniture such as the wine tasting counter, shelves and dais coordinates effectively with the fresh, colourful aesthetic chosen for the finishes and upholstery. To underscore the identity of the space, one wall is covered with wallpaper reproducing the Pra di Bosso Storico wine label, while the others have been painted a lively orange colour that is accentuated by the warm white of the ceiling. The flooring was of paramount importance for the project and consisted of ceramic tiles from Caesar’s Alchemy porcelain collection. “We were looking for a material with a strong character that would be easy to maintain while offering an original and eye-catching aesthetic combined with a sense of tradition,” says Apostoli. The Tc Mint colour, inspired by the retro industrial appeal of metal, was chosen for its powerful visual impact, its intense colours and its oxidised copper-effect graphics.
“The distinctive visual appeal of this version with its green and reddish-orange oxidised metal-like surface served as inspiration for the creative process”, while also recalling the warm, natural colours typical of this winemaking region, explained Alessandro Apostoli. The colour choices and lighting design also play a key role in this project dominated by essential forms. “The Emilia Wine space conveys its uniqueness solely through light, materials and colours, creating an overall atmosphere that is relaxed and friendly but at the same time iconic,” concludes Apostoli.