k-studio integrates 'liknon' wine museum into the terraced vineyards of greece

weaving architecture into the muscat grapevines

K-Studio embeds this Liknon vineyard museum among the terraced landscape of Samos, Greece. The architects work with the spirits brand Metaxa, for which the underground museum space is built. Thus, the project takes shape with a strong connection to its picturesque context, a century-old vineyard where grows the sweet muscat grape — the special ingredient used to produce the brand’s signature wine.

With its rusticated stone walls, this museum stands as a landmark within the valley, which can be discovered beneath the nearby village of Vourliotes. The architects note that the project will ‘showcase the origins of Metaxa which are tightly bound to the island’s culture, one with a long tradition in high quality goods and winemaking.’

image © Claus Brechenmacher, Reiner Baumann / Breba | @brechenmacher_baumann

an underground museum in a stepping landscape

The architects at K-Studio design the Liknon museum with ‘the vine as the protagonist,’ shaping the architecture as an exploratory journey through the habitat of the grapes. Rather than a traditional museum building, it is a landscape, with visitors invited to meander through — and underneath —  the birthplace of the sweet muscat grape. The underground interior space serves to exaggerate the connection with the roots of the Metaxa brand alongside an interactive experience and a series of ‘sensory activations.’

image © Claus Brechenmacher, Reiner Baumann

liknon: an extension of the vineyard by k-studio

The architecture of the Liknon museum is shaped by K-Studio as an extension of the dry stone terraces which host the productive grapevines. The design language evokes the rough atmosphere of the natural and traditional landscape, blending seamlessly into the valley.

‘Instead of a building, Liknon is a landscape, borrowing the dynamic of manmade stonewalls that blend into the valley. Following the traces of an ancient path, it unravels onto consecutive plateaus held by ‘pezoules,’ taking the visitor on a walkthrough around and under the vines’ birthplace, submerging underground in order to get in touch with the roots of the brand through an interactive experience and a series of sensory activations.’

image © Claus Brechenmacher, Reiner Baumann

image © Claus Brechenmacher, Reiner Baumann
image © Claus Brechenmacher, Reiner Baumann

image © Claus Brechenmacher, Reiner Baumann

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image © Claus Brechenmacher, Reiner Baumann

image © Claus Brechenmacher, Reiner Baumann

image © Claus Brechenmacher, Reiner Baumann

image © Claus Brechenmacher, Reiner Baumann

image © Nikos Daniilidis

 

project info:

project title: LIKNON

architecture: K-Studio | @k_studio_gr

location: Samos, Greece

built area: 380 square meters (4,090 square feet)

photography: Nikos Daniilidis, Claus Brechenmacher, Reiner Baumann / Breba | @brechenmacher_baumann

project team: Dimitris Karampatakis, Christos Spetseris, Stavros Kotsikas, Marina Leventaki, Achilleas Pliakos, Argyris Mavronikolas, Arianna Mechili, Dimitris Eleftheriadis, Natassa Kallou, Thalia Sachinidi

project management: CONJEKT

surveyor: Georgoudis Michalis, Palaiokastritis Yannis 

planning consultant: Palaiokastritis Yannis

structural consultant: Elliniki Meletitiki – Aggelos Ladas

mechanical engineer: CONAP – Andreas Psaroudakis

lighting designer: LAST – Lighting Architecture Studio, Aris Klonizakis

landscape designer: Fytron – Petsagourakis Michalis

A/V consultant & supplier: Panou Systems

kitchen consultant: XENEX, Inoxland

main contractor: BALLIAN