olafur eliasson uses 832 colored glass tiles for vertical panorama pavilion at donum estate

vertical panorama pavilion by studio other spaces

The Donum Estate introduces its new site-specific construction Vertical Panorama Pavilion, a mosaic-inspired canopy designed by the Berlin-based office Studio Other Spaces that artist Olafur Eliasson and architect Sebastian Behmann founded. The cone-shaped architecture in California is dedicated to wine-tasting in the open, intending to combine the essence of senses and surroundings through spatial experimentation.

The approach of Studio Other Spaces aims to capture the abstract calendar that depicts yearly averages of solar radiance, wind intensity, temperature, and humidity, drawing their research from meteorology, or the study of the atmosphere and the motions within it. Rather than just putting up a conical canopy, the studio studied the space and centered the architecture on a northern-oriented oculus. They employed 832 colored, laminated glass panels in 24 color variations, translucency, and transparency to guarantee that the result would reflect the surrounding local environment and winery architecture of Sonoma Valley.

The journey begins by walking on the gravel path, soaking in the sound of nature from the rustling grass to the chirping insect as one moves forward, and arriving at the pavilion. Looking up, a circular opening offers a view of the sky from below, all the while basking in the spectrum of colors the glass tiles confer the space and visitors. The maze ends with seating areas divided by low-height separations made of bricks and adorned with cushions and earthly colors. From afar, the colossal installation may, at first, steal the limelight of the landscape, but soon, drawn from the color studies the studio conformed to, the shades of its surroundings overlap until Vertical Panorama Pavilion blends in with the environment.

all images © Vertical Panorama Pavilion at the Donum Estate, 2022, Studio Other Spaces – Olafur Eliasson and Sebastian Behmann | all photography by Adam Potts

Eliasson and Behmann on celebrating wine

The path leading to and from the pavilion rests on a surface topped with gravel, and the studio stacked the earth-colored bricks inside the canopy vertically to suggest the continuity of the architecture. The low-level division means visitors can still see the hillside around them as they continue their wine-tasting experience. ‘While walking along the path and into the pavilion, the wall grows higher until they finally reach eye level. Our eyes, ears, and nose are now in line with the turf, where earth and sky meet alongside rich biodiversity,’ the studio writes.

The gathering area finds itself under the eye of the canopy, and visitors sit on the benches that have been arranged according to group sizes. The studio intends the scene to be one’s body becoming physically aware of the land it is on, an element that heightens the sensory when visitors begin to taste the wine. For Donum Estate, Studio Other Spaces envisioned celebrating the wine on land and the microclimates that help ferment it. ‘The pavilion maps out the surrounding ephemera – the soil, vegetation, wind, sun, atmosphere, and rain – and incorporates these into the colorful canopy, reflecting the wine’s unique signature,’ writes Eliasson and Behmann.

To lean back and relax, to let the eyes wander from the hillside views to the sky through the oculus, and to focus on the glass tiles that form the weather calendar for visibility, wind intensity, temperature, and humidity. Vertical Panorama Pavilion wants to shift the attention of the visitors from the wine offerings of Donum Estate to the kaleidoscopic design of Studio Other Spaces, all while paying attention to the works of nature.

832 colored glass tiles used in Vertical Panorama Pavilion to reflect meteorology

The Donum Collection and installations

The Donum Estate has collaborated with and hosted artist installations for years through The Donum Collection with more than 50 monumental works including the masterworks – ranging from sculptures to sound art – of Ai Weiwei, Yayoi Kusama, Doug Aitken, Elmgreen & Dragset, and Ugo Rondinone. Vertical Panorama Pavilion by Studio Other Spaces is the new addition to its growing repertoire, the continuous dedication of the winery to balance wine, land, and art. Mei and Allan Warburg, the owners of The Donum Estate, restate this ethos as they view the pavilion as a blend of their passion between wine, nature, art, design, and architecture.

‘It is an achievement of our continuous effort to enhance the sensorial discovery of sight, sound, and scent experiences for all our guests. We first walked the land in 2019 with Olafur. The sun gave contrast to a spectrum of colors, we took a sip of our Pinot Noir, and at that moment, Vertical Panorama Pavilion was born,’ shares the Warburgs. The Donum Estate plans to host wine-tasting and hospitality events within the newly launched pavilion where visitors can also witness the production facility and the biodynamic and organic farming practices of the land.

seating areas