Isla Rix is an architecture student. Their Final Major Project explored loneliness in the city and aimed to generate an architecture that brings people together in social ways through wine making and craft activities.

The space is designed for romantic and platonic relationships formed through shared activities. When thinking about romance it can often be centred around alcohol, people going out for drinks, for a meal or even just tasting. The project is centred around dating but can also be used to meet people. This can be achieved by the space hosting two separate spaces, one which may be more romantic and another that could be used platonically. Centred around wine, from making it all the way to drinking it. The easiest way to build connections is by doing an activity with each other.

Researching the process of how wine is made goes through a few stages: growing/harvesting, then crushing, fermentation and aging until it can be bottled and drank. From these steps, the project became about what parts can become social activities for the building uses.

Harvesting — From research the UK environment is not a good one for wine making, warm and dry conditions are required.
Crushing — This part could be done without machines and by people which is a possible activity at the beginning of the wine making process.
Fermentation — Can be done anywhere with the correct equipment.
Aging and Bottling — Again can be done wherever as long as the correct equipment is provided.