The Sala Visitor Centre introduces visitors to local viticulture and oenology by offering local wines and fine dining. An exhibition on local wines serves as the entrance to the center, then visitors are enticed by a wine bar & bistro, a retail shop, an underground wine cellar, and a meeting facility. The Thai-inspired pavilion is characterized by the large curving Cedar shingle roof — a traditional design seen throughout the region that helps with passive cooling. Local materials like brick, bamboo, rattan, and wood are also used to invoke traditional Thai architecture.
To keep the visitor centre cool, strategies like large, open walkways, platforms with operable windows and doors, high roofs, generous overhangs, and an elevated structure, were employed to encourage natural ventilation. The entire structure was oriented to receive the prevailing winds while shading it from the hot afternoon sun. Large windows are used to draw in natural daylighting and to provide excellent views of the vineyard below. Wine is stored underground in a cellar to keep it cool with minimal energy use.
Soh Design Studio’s pavilion for the winery is a beautiful piece of architecture that serves its purpose beautifully while artfully utilizing natural techniques to achieve a low energy building. The Sala Visitor Centre is also one of the winners of 7th World Architecture Awards.
This wine visitor centre in Thailand has us itching for to sit under the cool veranda with good glass of grape-infused goodness overlooking a beautiful 200 acre vineyard. The Sala Visitor Centre is part of the Hua Hin Hills Vineyard, about 3 hours south
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The visitor center is designed to provide a space for people to learn more about Thai wines. It serves as a tasting room for many of the area’s wines.
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The centre was designed by Sylvia Soh of Soh Design Studio. It uses many traditional Thai architectural elements, such as large sweeping roofs.
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Local natural materials like bamboo, rattan, wood and brick are also used throughout the building.
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Passive cooling strategies are employed to keep the pavilion cool with minimal energy use.
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Large overhangs, an elevated structure, operable windows and doors, and high roofs encourage natural ventilation.
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The building was oriented so that prevailing winds enter the building, and so that it is shaded from the hot afternoon sun.
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Large glass windows let in lots of natural daylight and provide excellent views of the vineyard below.
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Brick is used extensively throughout, providing an organic touch, linearity and scale to the building even with the tall roof.
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Visitors to the center can enjoy wine tastings, a meal in the on-site restaurant, a gift shop, and a meeting facility.
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Wine is stored underground in a cellar to keep the wine cool with minimal energy use.
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Bamboo is also used extensively throughout the project to clad the main facade, provide sun shade, and line the ceilings.
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Sylvia Soh, who heads up Soh Design Studio, worked under Lord Norman Foster in London before starting her own firm in Singapore.
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The Sala Visitor Centre is one of the winners for 7th World Architecture Awards.
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