Deep purple tiles, geometric patterns and wine bottles repurposed as lamps feature inside this bar in Montreal, designed by local architecture studio Ménard Dworkind.
The Vinvinvin bar in Montreal was designed by local firm Ménard Dworkind to feature a bold mix of colour, pattern and texture.
"They were looking for something loud, something with a lot of colour and something that really broke the mould from traditional wine bars," studio co-founder David Dworkind told Dezeen.
The 1650-square-foot (153-square-metre) bar only serves up natural wine, which is grown without pesticides and left to ferment organically. During that process nothing is added or removed from the liquid.
The concept for the project began when the clients set up a tasting of the wine, which the architects said features a "natural, unpredictable, and bright flavour" in comparison to classic alternatives.
But it was the bright and vivid graphics on the bottle labels provided the main design cues for the project.
Among these details are hexagonal table tops, featuring graphic shapes and bold colours, that are made from computer numerical controlled (CNC) formica. There is also a black and white maze like design painted on the front walls in the entrance area.
"The idea to have a graphic element based on the graphics of the wine labels pushed some of the design decisions like the patterned floor tiles in the back, the hexagonal tables and a maze we painted on the wall in the front," Dworkind said.
A deep purple tile that matches the hue of red wine wraps the base of the curved central bar. This is used to separate the kitchen from the main seating area in the rear, and divide the restaurant into seating zones.
A hardwood floor directs guests towards the back where the flooring seamlessly becomes a patterned tile, a design inspired by the ebullience of natural wine labels.
"It is intentionally busy, but at the same time every decision was thought out and we tried to really curate the busyness and kind of created a harmonious busyness," the architect added.
Ménard Dworkind sourced materials and objects for the project from antique shops, online vintage sellers, a factory liquidation sale and even an old wine cellar.
The service counter, a repurposed dresser found at a vintage store, is topped with travertine and a stainless steel sink used to chill wine. The coloured lights, collected from an old warehouse, adorning the wall are masked with painted steel sheets.
"We tried to find a new balance between contemporary and custom design," said Dworkind.
The studio even went as far as salvaging wine bottles to repurpose as bar lamps, which they designed in collaboration with Lambert et Fils. The various shapes and thicknesses of the bottles made shining a light through difficult, so each has been sandblasted, which creates uniformity.
Dworkind founded Ménard Dworkind with designer Guillaume Ménard in 2017. The firm has also designed the Miss Wong restaurant, a mini chinatown in Montreal's Laval suburb, which pays homage to the vibrancy found in Chinatowns across the globe.
Other projects by the collaborative office include a beauty salon featuring hacked pink armchairs and IKEA sinks.
Photography is by David Dworkind.