Otago Polytechnic architecture master’s student Georgia Pope’s design project, titled Ephemeral Vines, won gold in the spatial category of the 2024 Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards - for the second year in a row.
"It is a winery designed for Bannockburn, in Central Otago, and it challenges that traditional winery design.
"Traditional wineries are big flash buildings that house restaurants, the wines and the wine-making equipment.
"This one is designed to be temporary and adaptable to work with community needs."
The 23-year-old has designed a three-tiered winery, made of recycled scaffolding pipes and cross-laminated timber panels (CLT), which can be used for producing wine and house the hospitality services that go with it.
But it also redefines the notion of permanency, because it could be repurposed into vibrant community hubs during off-peak wine-making seasons, she said.
"Most wineries tend to just sit there empty during those times.
"With the addition of canvas screens and CLT panels for flexibility, they could seamlessly transform into spaces for bustling farmers’ markets.
"Here, locals could gather to enjoy the offerings of the land, enhancing community connections and engagement during quieter wine-making periods.
"It’s a practical yet inviting space that caters to both the needs of wine making and the desires of the community."
The project also had a strong focus on sustainability, she said.
"It’s totally removable and it will leave no lasting impact on the land."
Judges in the competition said the "delightful" design boldly embraced a "cradle to grave" construction approach by the incorporation of modular units, engineered timber and lightweight materials to minimise intervention on the land.
"An evocative project that flips the premise of an exclusive wine-growing culture on its head by testing an idea of community engagement and activation to all.
"Beautifully presented, this project should be commended for challenging the norms with a scheme that is both innovative, and a careful weaving of the unique site and programme opportunities."
The award is Miss Pope’s third in the competition over the past three years.
In the same category, she won a silver award in 2022, and a gold award last year.
"It’s my third award in the competition, so I’m pretty stoked."
Otago Polytechnic students also won two silver and two bronze awards in the national competition.
Eden Rose-Yon and Oliver Mammitzsch won silver awards for their design projects in the spatial category; Omea Hall won bronze in the spatial category; and Ella Smillie won bronze in the moving images category.
They were among 10 Otago Polytechnic designers who were finalists in this year’s awards.
Otago Polytechnic School of Architecture head Associate Prof Tobias Danielmeier said he was thrilled to see his students being recognised at such a prestigious event.
