Foster + Partners have renovated the historic Bodegas Faustino winery

British architecture studio Foster + Partners has renovated the 160-year-old Bodegas Faustino winery in Oyon (Basque Country) with an emphasis on sustainability. The winery is owned by the fourth generation of the Martinez Zabala family. Their collaboration with the office began in 2010. The new project integrated the buildings and the surrounding landscape into a unified system, working out the connections between the vineyards and the wine storage cellars.

The entrance was moved to the north side of the property so that guests are immediately drawn to the vineyards. From here, a path leads to the new visitor center. Its cylindrical vault resembles a wine barrel, and the natural hue of the wooden arches harmonizes with the surrounding nature. The building, named Planet 1.0, is 50 meters long, 25 meters wide and has a maximum height of 10 meters. 

On the roof of Planet 1.0 are photovoltaic panels that generate electricity for the operation of the center. The surplus is used for other buildings in the winery. Wide awnings on all sides of the roof prevent the sun from heating the facility. A central skylight and glazed facades let in plenty of light, reducing the need for artificial lighting. 

The architects also remodeled the offices and production areas, as well as the cellars for aging and wine storage. All unused structures were demolished to make way for future developments. The facades of many of the buildings were enhanced with live plants to protect them from the sun and reduce the energy used to cool the interior spaces. New plants were also planted on the site to increase biodiversity and prevent flooding, which often occurred during heavy rains.

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