From vine to wine: an exploration into the relationship between landscape architecture and viticulture

• Main Author: Bissky, Allyson
• Other Authors: Tate, Alan (Landscape Architecture)
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Landscape; Architecture; Viticulture; Vineyards; Experience; Winery
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/5073

Vineyards are perhaps one of the most attractive and recognizable productive landscapes, comprising 12 000 hectares of Canada’s 998 467 000 hectares of total land area. These unique and beautiful landscapes are characterized by their distinctive site planning, unique micro-climates and an understanding of the terroir of the land. However, the profession of landscape architecture remains tenuously connected to viticulture (the cultivation of grapes) and vineyard designs. Very few landscape architects are involved with the design of vineyards and little to no literature has been written on the interface between these two professions. The intent of this practicum is to articulate and demonstrate the important contribution that landscape architecture can make to viticulture by examining aesthetic values that link site and terroir to create an overall vineyard experience. Through a case study analysis of winery and vineyard sites, this practicum examines how landscape architecture can contribute to viticulture and enhance not only the experience of being in a vineyard setting but also the wine tourism industry. The result is a design for a winery and vineyard site in the Okanagan Valley that employs strategies for improving tourism by enhancing visitor experience.