JunZhuang Wine Culture Village
Feasibility study / Competition winning scheme with subsequent design commission
RhineScheme successfully competed in the invited competition to design 3 prototype winery villas of varying scales set in an overall masterplan. The location can be found West of Beijing in a valley of the Yan mountain range, in an area well known of its lush vegetation and pear orchards.
Later on, the project site moved to a bigger area as part of Dongshan village, with the aim of establishing an entire village around the theme of cultivating wine – with a public and touristic centre designed as water town, incorporating existing water bodies.
The then selected site is characterized by the backdrop of the Yan Mountains and a little river on the middle of the valley. The plots dedicated to the wineries are open to the valley and have a gradual slope accentuated with artificial terraces and thick vegetation of fruit trees and other species.
The first masterplan envisaged the villas set in a beautiful vineyard landscape planted on ancient terraced mountain slopes: the result of hundreds of years of farming and fruit cultivation in the valley.
In both master plans the need for a varied program beside the core of wine-making was recognized, in order to attract, but moreover to keep visitors in the area. To this end, a number of alternative leisure and tourism activities have been planned from the beginning such as golf, hiking and a restaurant area – with even more attractions in the second masterplan that includes an idyllic water town as public centre.
The three wineries of the initially planned demonstration area were intended to be open to the public so that visitors would be able to tour the properties and the surrounding vineyards to get acquainted with wine and wine-making in general.
The villas are in 3 contrasting European styles: French, Tuscan and Spanish. These will form the basis of a much greater development in the area.
The largest of the wineries (the Boutique Winery) at approx 4,000m² is designed as a fully equipped wine production facility, complete with wine press, filtration and storage. Besides making wine, part of its functions is to hosts visitors who can enjoy and learn about wine in luxurious surroundings.
The guests will be able to access the wine cellars and wine tasting rooms after a tour of the production facilities. At the end of the day a glass of wine can be enjoyed on the terrace overlooking the vineyards.
An even larger type of winery in Central European style was added later on.
A medium size winery (the Enterprise winery) measuring 1,500m² is a fully working wine production facility as well, but is aimed mainly at guests from companies and other groups. These will be able to rent the fully catered property and enjoy the area and its facilities in a more private atmosphere.
The smallest of the four building types (the Private winery villa) is just around 1,000m². It is too small for having its own production facilities; however it is aimed at the wine enthusiast who would like to live in beautiful surroundings and with a possibility to show off an extensive collection of wines. The above ground levels are designed as a luxurious villa, while the cellar has ample space for display, safe storage, tasting and entertainment.