| Category | Urban Art |
|---|---|
| Year | 2017 |
| Size | - |
Projects
Cada Cuba Huele al Vino que Tiene
A toast to light
Conceptualised by a six-person team, Cada Cuba Huele al Vino que Tiene is the winning entry out of 52 international entries of the installation design competition for the architecture and design festival of Logrono, held in May 2017.
At a glance, Cada Cuba Huele al Vino que Tiene (Every Cask Smells of the Wine it Contains) appears as no more than a cluster of seven deconstructed wine barrels. Its design is unassuming with poplar plywood forming the staves and riveted wooden rings acting as hoops holding the whole construction together. However, a closer look unveils a unique design concept that delights one’s senses and transports oneself deep into the Rioja Region; and imperative to its design concept is the lighting design. Here’s why.
Details
Come nightfall, the whole of Revellin Plaza takes on a reverential glow. The Tempranillo lights shine out from within the large cabins and a series of long interconnected shadows intersect the space to create an interesting diversity for all traversing the installation.
Its architecture is a pure distillation of the region – specifically its soil, climate, grapes and wine-making traditions; and was conceived in response to the competition’s call for an intervention within the historic Plaza del Revellin.
Through the repetition of forms across different scales, the installation was not only able to filter the area; effectively generating new paths and provoking a unique relationship between the pedestrian and the square, making them a participant.
Each cabin, regardless of size, are constructed from staves which are 18mm thick, 100mm wide and 2500mm long. While the large cabins stand at 4.8 metres tall with a base diameter of 3.8 metres, the smaller cabins perch at 2.4 metres tall with a base diameter of 1.9 metres.
Wine-coloured halos: Paying tribute to Rioja and its wine
Paying tribute to the long-standing wine-making culture in Rioja, space and light meld at the aesthetic level within each cabin to deliver the design intent. The nine ‘Cooper’s cabins’ are representations of towns within the Rioja region with the largest three representing Haro, Calahora and Logrono, and the compact ones for smaller towns. Pushing its cultural identity and reference, the interior of each cabin was stained with wine. Their colours varied according to the wine of the area they represented. Looking up from within the cabin, the sky framed in a hooped oculus is a reminder of the climate and weather that make the land so fruitful.
At an experiential level, the design of the cabins takes on a devotional aspect. Here, lighting design elevates this by taking on a reverential role. Each cabin is a temple to the wine, the land and the communities they represent. The way into the cabin is through a low door, bowing respectfully as one breaches the interior space. Once inside, a wine-heavy air pervades as a wine-red glow envelopes you. Visually mimicking wine, it is symbolic of the grapes from which each wine is produced. The result is a heady environment which moves beyond the purely visceral into a fully immersive sensory space.
Specialist Services
Integrated services provided for this project.