Green Fabric
A Center for Virginia's Wine Culture in Charlottesville

This thesis seeks to place a centralizing node amongst the greatest concentration of Virginia wineries in the city of Charlottesville. While the state of Virginia has maintained its viniclutural heritage from the time of the Colonists, several factors have proven insurmountable obstacles until recent decades. The state now supports nearly 90 wineries, yet lacks any focus within the industry, and markering rarely stems beyond the fields of production. With nearly 33% of the State's population living in the urban context, reaching the metropolitan areas will not only spur interest amongst city residents, but will magnetize tourists and begin to establish connections on the national market.

This unique project will examine the bridging of a typically agricultural typology into the realm of an urban environment, thus encouraging the dynamism of the regional industry. By doing so, this thesis presents opportunities for practices in ecological, social, and cultural sustainability. The structure will function not only as an educational facility in the vinicultural sense, but as a demonstration of sustainable design in an urban context, melding contemporary technology with a historic city fabric, thus dispelling the myth that "green" buildings need to stand alone as icons.

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