VNO

CURATED WINE

Surface Manipulation
Studio

Designer:
Allyson Werhane
ABOUT CLIENT
VNO Wine Curators are focused on providing a unique and
extraordinary experience to its patrons. Located on historic
and exclusive Oak Street in the Gold Coast of Chicago,
VNO’s clientele is primarily couples without children between
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the ages of 45-65. Knowing it’s client base is accustomed to
the finer things in life, VNO stocks only the finest wines and
offers a program for patrons to join that allows them access to
private areas within the shop as well as private collections to
be housed in the store that are curated to their specifications
each and every month.
 SITE ANALYSIS

Marital Status

Never Married 10,105

Married 9,438
Separated 1,156
Divorced 2,180

Household Income and Average Income

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Median Income Under 25 $28,263
Median Income 25-44 $66,927
Median Income 45-64 $114,820
Median Income Over 65 $103,107

Number of Households

Total Households 29,027

Non-Family Households 14,250
Households with Children 876
Households without Children 19,152
Average People Per Household 1.46
Dolce and
Gabbana

City Chicago

Address 68 E Oak St.

3
Height 22 feet

Floors 1
 CONCEPT

By displaying wines in systems mounted to the floor, VNO uses

a unique technique that forces its audience to interact with their
surroundings by bending and reaching towards the floor, allowing
4 them to take in the entirety of the design from the ground up.

Because the footprint of the space is so long and tall, working against
the building with key design elements creates contrast and juxtaposition
that in turn curate the space in an atypical way. While the space is tall and
narrow, the key display method is short and round, forcing the user down.
Textures are then spread across the space and oversized lighting elements
are used to draw the users eye back up, taking in the space in its entirety.
INSPIRATIONAL IMAGES

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 ENLARGED PLAN

Front
Front Tasting Bar and Product
Display Area Community Bathrooms Display VIP Area Back Of House
Table

2 4
 ENLARGED RCP

Custom tin Pendants over Custom tin sculpture Cove lights above
sculptural community table detail w/ recessed shelves and above VIP
detail can lighting area

2 4
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TASTING AREA
The tasting area of VNO is catered towards the women
patrons of the store. Because VNO is located on Oak Street,
it is surrounded by high-end retail and restaurants that are
frequented by more sophisticated residents of the Gold Coast.

With this in mind, the tasting area is designed to be a place 9

where women can go for happy hour, lunch, and tea time
drinks. Women living in this area are more likely to go to a
restaurant for a drink than a bar, so providing a sophisticated
atmosphere in which they can meet for drinks and appetizers is
not only a way to create a client base, but also allows existing
clients to shop and relax at the same time.
 TASTING AREA
ENLARGED PLAN

Tempaper

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Carlisle

Tigerwood
West Elevation - Tasting Area
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2 4

The custom ceiling is

inspired by live gardens
suspended from the
ceiling and interpreted
using sculptural tin and
patina

The dropped ceiling

by bathrooms created
separation between
East Elevation - Tasting Area ‘zones’
2 4
 FIXTURES
Lighting in this area are designed to
play off of the textures within the store.
Because this space features such a
12 monochromatic palette, texture is used to
create depth and interest on the walls and
ceiling, which is then highlighted with cove
lighting. The height of the space is also
emphasized by the scale of the ceiling
fixtures, which are oversize and heavy
within the space.
 TASTING AREA
ENLARGED RCP

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PRODUCT DISPLAY
Stemming from the original concept of timeless,
sophisticated beauty, tubs were developed
from the Turkish bath houses onto a product
display unit.

The asymmetrical shape is a play on the image

is slicing through a grape, and introduces the 15
concept of the escape from the traditional “shelf
experience” by inviting the user to bend, reach,
and walk around the tub.

Likewise, tubs are placed on the walls as

the physical shelving unit in the VP room,
conveying to the average shopper that
the space is separate from the accessible
shopping area and hopefully triggering the
consumer to wonder why their function shifts in
that particular room.
 PRODUCT DISPLAY
ENLARGED PLAN

Granite
Schist

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Carlisle

Soelberg
PRODUCT DISPLAY
ENLARGED RCP
 PRODUCT DISPLAY
CUSTOM TUB

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THE TUB
The tub was developed from the idea that the
consumer should experience shopping for wine in a
different way than they have in the past. By placing
the wine at different heights, including at the floor, it
invites the user to bend, reach, and move through
the space in an atypical way. Additionally, the shape
of the tub creates pathways through the store while
the circular shape contrasts with the linear plan. 19

The shape of the tub was created through the

process of slicing grapes. Because the plan is so
linear and has great height, the tubs were developed
to contrast that and provide an element that was
more organically shaped and draws the users eyes
down instead of up.
VIP AND PRIVATE ROOM
While the general public is free and welcome to access
the tasting and product display areas, the VIP/ Private
Room is accessible to only a select few. Customers who
shop more regularly at VNO are able to join an exclusive
program that allows them private tastings, curated and
customized bottles every month that are picked based
on their personal specifications and tastes, as well as
access to the VIP Room and their personal collection
within the shop.
 VIP AREA
ENLARGED PLAN
The VIP Room
features tub
shelving units and
a tasting table
made of the same
zebrawood used
in the front bar
and tables. The
VIP Room also
features plush
private seating.

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Fall of 2016 - Allyson Werhane - Surface Manipulation Studio