Located in Victoria’s picturesque Yarra Valley, Medhurst Wines is a family-run winery settled amidst the bush.

The brief aims to expand the tasting experience through addressing the site in a broader context.

Narrowing in on immersing visitors throughout the wine-tasting experience, the brief emphasises the importance of providing a clear connection with the surrounding landscape.

The contours of the building are accentuated by lengthening the building’s form and grounds. With steel and timber clad blade walls pertruding through the outstretched greenery, subtle carves and equity in space gently aimed to guide visitors through a series of entries.

Landscaped, and framed – key views appropriately blend the surrounding landscape to the formal language of the buildings, linking the adjacent sitting winery and the cellar door.

With the raw and natural palette reflected in the use of its materials, the senses are inevitably able to soak up the winemakers voyage.

An infinite off-form concrete bench 12m long and textured timber wall linings and raw steel detailing all complement the natural surroundings and emphasise the the surrounding Australian bush.

Located amidst a sensitive bushfire zone, a particular focus on sustainability, resilience, and durability are integral to the design’s adoption of sophistication and practicality.

The building boasts a number of minimised-fire-features including its reduced material pallet of oxidised steel and high-performance glass.

With an extensive roof eave designed to maximise comfortable sunlight both during the cold and hot season, passive principals are adopted to reduce mechanical thermal mass.

With its focal functionality – a 250 tonne winemaking facility, the design is superintended to enable the public’s engagement with the wine making process, and is almost its most primary asset as a unique project.