The wine bar architecture that made Brazil’s Michelin wine list

A trip to Burgundy shaped the design of Vivan Wine Bar in Balneário Camboriú — the first in Santa Catarina to join the Star Wine List.

Architecture in commercial spaces has evolved beyond function. At Vivan Wine Bar, in the coastal city of Balneário Camboriú, in southern Brazil, it shapes a full cultural experience — before the first sip is even taken. The venue is the first wine bar in the state of Santa Catarina, and the second in the South of Brazil, to be included in the Star Wine List, the international guide widely known as the “Michelin Guide of wines.”

A journey that became a blueprint

The concept grew from a real experience in France. Before sketching a single idea, architects Jessica Dauer and Lais Feitosa traveled to the Burgundy region — especially the town of Beaune — alongside the bar’s founder and sommelier, Romero Gaya. The wineries that meant most to him became direct references for the design choices back in Brazil.

Photographer João Pedro Varela joined the group to document the trip, and his images were woven into the space at key points: the entrance, the lower-floor corridor, the restrooms, and the wine education area. Maps, original artwork, books, and decorative objects brought directly from Burgundy complete the atmosphere, carrying the memory and spirit of the French region into the bar.

A contemporary reinterpretation, not a replica

The result does not mimic a French wine cellar. It reinterprets that atmosphere through a contemporary lens. “The wood and warm tones create an enveloping environment, the arches and ceiling curves guide the eye and give rhythm to the journey, the helical staircase reinforces that movement and organizes the experience within the space. At the same time, Vivan has music, social energy, and life,” explain architects Jessica Dauer and Lais Feitosa.

A “wine library” with over 600 labels

One of the project’s biggest technical challenges was displaying and preserving the wine collection without visual overload. The solution was to design the cellar as a “wine library” — more than 600 labels arranged in a linear, rhythmic format. Indirect lighting highlights each bottle while protecting it from heat and light exposure, ensuring both aesthetics and proper conservation.

Two floors, one identity

On the ground floor, a glass-enclosed kitchen and bar counter bring guests closer to the French-inspired cuisine. A ceramic floor designed by Arthur Casas provides a neutral base, while strategic landscaping connects the mezzanine to the main dining area and softens the double-height ceiling. The plants create a natural transition between levels, adding an organic counterpoint to the wood that defines the interior.

On the upper floor, the wine education space was designed with both precision and sensitivity. Lighting is calibrated to avoid distorting the color of wine during tastings, and a flexible layout allows the room to function as a classroom or as an extension of the restaurant.

From broad concept to subtle detail — such as the restroom tiles that discreetly incorporate the brand — every element of Vivan Wine Bar was designed to present wine not merely as a product, but as a cultural and social experience.

Event Info

• Vivan Wine Bar
• Location: Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina, Brazil
• Founder and sommelier: Romero Gaya
• Opened: October 2025
• Wine collection: over 600 national and international labels, with a focus on Burgundy
• Recognition: first wine bar in Santa Catarina and second in southern Brazil on the Star Wine List
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivanwinebar/

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