wine cellar in northern italy emerges from ground with stone-like geometry

the pacherhof wine cellar by italian-based firm bergmeisterwolf architekten emerges from the sloping northern italian landscape. docked to the existing historic cellar characterized by rough stone vaulting, the new cellar extends seamlessly underground, integrating with the mountainous topography. the extension, used for the production of wine, is expressed as a polygonal funnel whose base angles are determined by the slope of the context.

all images by gustav willeit

the extension by bergmeisterwolf architekten erupts from the ground as if a natural landform condition, an exposed segment of bedrock. the profile of the bronzed clad monolithic volume mirrors that of the jagged ridgelines of the surrounding mountain peaks. while the main funnel houses a office and tasting room, a secondary lower level holds machinery used for the grape harvesting process. the entrance to the cellar is highlighted by a concrete wall which serves as a threshold between the surrounding natural landscape and a ramps directing visitors downward into the underground.

the project introduces a continuity between the new and the old. the machinery — a functional element displayed as an expressive design feature — presents the duality and history of the craft with both traditional oak barrels and contemporary steel tanks. the original vaulted space and heavy stone field of columns integrates with the extension by bergmeisterwolf architekten to curate a journey which takes visitors from tradition to innovation.