The Eco-Wine Pavilion

My Eco-Wine Pavilion is another design proposal in a series, which explore ways to integrate alternative energy gathering and storage systems into commercial architecture in a new and exciting way. The Eco-Wine Pavilion is designed for use in a temperate climate at a winery and functions as a wine tasting and special events facility. The structure is formed from a set of pre-fabricated glass and steel components. A series of steel arches and horizontal supports are clad with glass panels, some of which can be automatically opened and closed in order to control natural ventilation throughout the interior space. The pavilion could also be constructed without the use of glass for an open-air shaded version. The majority of the steel and glass structure is covered with a series of curved steel panels formed with two different radii. Some of these panels, which are located in the appropriate orientation relative to the sun, are covered with a flexible photovoltaic material that generates electricity for use inside of the pavilion. The rest of the curved panels are painted with the same color as the photovoltaic material. These panels also shade the interior of the structure. All of the additional electricity needed to power the pavilion is generated with a large vertical axis wind turbine, which is mounted near the structure. At the base of the wind turbine there is a circular bench built-in around the perimeter of the support column. The aesthetic inspiration for this design comes from the symbolic image of grape vines growing over a trellis.