TOLCSVA, WINERY, COMPETITION WINNER 2014
Mr. Heathcote’s comments on our entry:
“This was an extraordinarily strong design. Well-presented and designed with great clarity of purpose and function as well as with a coherent architectural language, the judges came to a unanimous decision that this should be the winning entry. The plan is very clear and allows for future expansion and flexibility within the site and the formal approach similarly facilitates that potential as it is easily replicable without affecting the existing elements.
There was a very strong sense of material here, with the twisting brass components forming a kind of crown serving as a powerful and effective symbol of the winery as well as fulfilling a functional role in allowing light in above the huge vats and acting as vertical brises soleil. The way the elements sit in the landscape was felt to be elegant and practical, but in their dual language of stone (material of the earth) and brass (traditionally, like gold, the material representing the sun and the sky) there was a profound architectural symbolism displayed here but in a very subtle manner. This was undoubtedly the most resolved design in terms of strategy, detail and symbolic/sculptural programme. A very worthy winner.”
Péter Kis, András Gyökér, Sára Fegyverneky, Júlia Losonczi, Anikó Tóth
Visualization by: Donát Rohonczi
Tokaj Kereskedőház Zrt. (Grand Tokaj Zrt., as today) is a national winery owned by the Hungarian State. As the largest winemaker of the over 300 years old historic Tokaj Wine Region (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002), they are committed to guarding and protecting the Hungarian wine making traditions. Tokaj Kereskedőház has more than half a century of wine making experience and is an important participant in the community of Tokaj-Hegyalja.
In 2014, the company announced a restricted competition for the reconstruction of their existing plant at their site in Tolcsva and for designing a new, modern winery complex. Our studio has won the competition; the first stage of the improved plans was realized in 2016 by building the new Bottling Plant.
