Umani RonchiOur StoryThe VineyardsThe Barrel CellarVilla Bianchi

The Barrel Cellar

Designed according to the principles of destructured architecture, and built by excavating the hillside underneath the vineyard, it comes across as a very modern shape featuring inclined steel pillars and sloping ceilings, designed to withstand the thrust of the soil above.
Given that the product must be kept in a environment with particular microclimatic conditions (temperature of 16°-18°, humidity of 85%-90%), the object was to achieve these conditions without artificial means. For this reason, the soffit above and the external faces were constructed in high-technology materials. In particular, the metal wall which covers the external face, besides being a kind of perspective façade, is also an effective protection against solar radiation.

The internal perimeter walls, on the other hand, have built into them an actual “compensating machine” for humidity, relying on the use of bricks and gravel: exploiting the porosity of these simple materials successfully solves the problem of any moisture imbalance. Finally, a system of channels which work on the chimney principle allow circulation and air-changes. A large space inside the barrel cellar is used as a tasting room, featuring traditional materials and high-tech functional elements.