When the Hong Kong–based art collectors Mei and Allan Warburg acquired the Napa Valley parcel that would soon become Donum Estate, a bucolic retreat that produces award-winning pinot noirs and chardonnays, the duo also envisioned a showpiece for their trove of large-scale sculptures. Since 2010, site-specific works by Ai Weiwei, Elmgreen & Dragset, and Doug Aitken have transformed the hilly landscape into a bona fide outdoor museum. Joining the lineup now is a kaleidoscopic pavilion by Studio Other Spaces, the experimental Berlin-based firm helmed by environmental artist Olafur Eliasson and architect Sebastian Behmann.
Sprouting almost alien-like from the emerald expanse and overlooking the scenic San Pablo Bay, Vertical Panorama Pavilion draws inspiration from the history of circular calendars. The conical canopy is glazed with 832 laminated glass panels in a range of 24 hues that reflect the vineyard’s natural elements—soil, vegetation, wind, sun, atmosphere, and rain. “The pavilion maps out the surrounding ephemera and incorporates these into the colorful canopy, reflecting the wine’s unique signature,” Eliasson and Behmann said in a statement. It plays host to the estate’s range of wine tasting experiences, including “Transcend,” where guests can enjoy Donum’s single-appellation varietals in a singular setting.
