ORA (Original Regional Architecture): The project deals with the completion and unification of the architecture of Kolby Winery in Pouzdřany. Under new ownership, the Winery's philosophy has been redefined to embrace natural practices and respect for the surrounding landscape. This transformation is reflected in the rejuvenation of the winery's facilities.
Unification
The site consisted of a historic building with extensive cellars and a modern extension dating back to 2016. Our task was to add an additional layer, incorporating wine bottle warehouse and a wine bar for visitors. Given the recent transformation of the entire area, extensive modifications or demolitions were not feasible. However, it was necessary to revitalise the existing buildings and operational connections to meet the current needs of the winery. The primary challenge of this project was to unify the individual buildings, spaces, and moments into a cohesive whole.
Envelope
We chose to envelop the individual extensions with a curtain wall constructed from acacia slats. The façade comprises two layers: an outer sparse trellis, serving as a support for climbing plants, and an inner dense lattice, which sometimes slides down lazily to create benches. Where these layers intersect, the acacia trellis provides shade for wine tasting. Locally sourced acacia, renowned for its durability, was selected as the ideal wood species, ensuring the structure's longevity.
Warehouse
The wine bottle warehouse is the most significant architectural addition to the complex. This utilitarian precast concrete building is partially submerged into the ground, and the earth piled up from excavation is strategically placed alongside the hall, visually reducing its volume. The concrete is tinted with an earthy hue. A double-skin vegetated façade provides shade for the concrete structure, enhancing thermal stability. Photovoltaic panels on the roofs contribute to the winery's sustainability.
Wine Bar
The wine bar occupies the historic winery building and connects directly to the extensive cellars below. Rather than a traditional bar, we designed a massive tasting table in the center of the space, encouraging visitors to stand and engage in discussions while sampling wines. A prominent interior feature is the burgundy-colored cement tiles with a wave pattern, custom-designed for this space. Aside from the wine bar and the layout modifications it necessitated, the only other alteration was repainting the old building in a restrained shade with a lively texture.
Location
Situated on the village's outskirts, adjacent to the Pouzdřanská Steppe, we designed a representative paved forecourt facing the village. This space serves the wine bar's requirements and accommodates various public events. A distinctive steel beam structure already occupied the space, which we decided to retain and incorporate. We clad it with acacia slats to seamlessly integrate it into the overall design, capitalising on the shade it provides.
About studio / author
ORA stands for Original Regional Architecture. Most of the studio's work consists of modifying existing structures, which was not a conscious choice. The authors like to work with constructions and fragments that were doomed to perish, to revive them in a new context. We design environments, houses, and even small objects.
The studio is based in Znojmo and Kutná Hora and operates mainly on the periphery.
Kolby Winery
The highly calorific loess and unique microclimate work together to create a typical steppe terroir which is reflected in the tastes and scents of our wines – from young, light wines with a fresh acidity to mature full mineral wines.
We grow 9 white and 3 blue varieties on nearly 40 hectares.Our flagship varieties are Rheinriesling and Welschriesling, and of the Burgundian varieties Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay. Work in the vineyards is mainly carried out by hand in the gentlest way. We do not overload the vines and take care of their health and nutrition all year round.
We combine modern methods with traditional practices in the production of our wines. To achieve the best possible results, we apply hand harvesting, gentle pressing and filtration, maceration on the grape peels, controlled fermentation, maturation on fine sediment, and, of course, operational hygiene. The winery's domain is dry white wines with a distinctive expression of origin.
The winery takes its name from the hillside of the same name, which is located near the winery, on the edge of the Pouzdřanská Steppe National Natural Monument. According to written records, the history of vine cultivation on Kolby Hill dates back to the reign of King Přemysl Otakar II, and some findings show that vines may have grown on Kolby even as early as the 2nd century.
