Lake Michigan College Welch Center for Wine and Viticulture Education

Southwest Michigan’s roots are steeped in agriculture. Combine that with a recent increase in tourism to the region, and Lake Michigan College saw the opportunity for higher education to play a much-needed role in Michigan’s up-and-coming wine industry.

This unique project — the Welch Center for Wine and Viticulture Technology — is the first of its kind in the Midwest, and one of only a few in the country to house a formal program for viticulture education.

Stantec provided architectural services for this new academic facility which is solely dedicated to the education of Southwest Michigan’s future wine makers, marketers, and retailers. The new program concentrates on providing college-level training and education in the business aspects on enology (the study of wines) and viticulture (the cultivation of grapevines) with hands-on instruction.

The central concept driving the Welch Center design was a commitment to reinterpreting the beautiful simplicity and economy of mid-western agricultural architecture and embracing an aesthetic appropriate for a winery in the rolling coastal fields of the region. Centered by the lobby/commons/wine-tasting area, the 11,000 square feet of instructional spaces are located in the east part of the building and wine-making spaces in the west.

The tasting room is typically bustling with visitors who can taste 10 different wines professionally presented by students, and who have a clear view into the teaching winery and barrel room via an artfully placed glass wall. A hub for all things wine in Southwest Michigan, the Welch Center has become a community gathering place for the exchange of ideas and special events.

Design: Stantec
Contractor: Miller-Davis
Photography: Jason Keen