The project for this winery in Central Italy originates from a precise environmental and productive ambition: creating a vinification facility capable of operating with the minimum possible use of mechanical conditioning systems while remaining entirely above ground.
Wine fermentation is inherently an anaerobic process that generates significant internal heat. Rather than relying on energy-intensive cooling systems, the architecture itself becomes an environmental device designed to regulate temperature through form, orientation, materiality, and thermal inertia.
The building is conceived as a rising moon emerging from the landscape, a gesture that also recalls the identity and logo of the winery itself. Its curved southern wall acts as a protective thermal barrier, shielding the production spaces from excessive solar gains during the hottest months. Constructed using a traditional a secco technology, the envelope combines local stone on the exterior with compacted earth within, creating a massive stratigraphy capable of storing and slowly releasing thermal energy over time.
All operational spaces are oriented toward the north to benefit from diffuse natural daylight while avoiding direct solar radiation. The vinification rooms open onto a fully protected internal courtyard, generating a stable microclimate isolated from external thermal stress.
A complementary rectangular volume accommodates the commercial functions and offices, extending toward a secluded secret garden that offers moments of quietness and contemplation within the productive landscape.
Despite the climatic conditions of Central Italy, where summer temperatures frequently exceed 30°C, dynamic thermal simulations demonstrated that the vinification areas remain below 25°C even when accounting for the internal heat generated during fermentation. The project therefore transforms passive environmental principles into a concrete architectural strategy, where sustainability, performance, and identity converge into a single coherent form.
