A M A G A Z I N E A B O U T B R I C K W O R K A N D R E S P O N S I B L E A R C H I T E C T U R E

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Ralph Cain
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1 A M A G A Z I N E A B O U T B R I C K W O R K A N D R E S P O N S I B L E A R C H I T E C T U R E Photos: Paul Kozlowski

The herringbone-patterned Kolumba flows in a gentle curve up into the horizontal plane, where it fuses with a wild-bond brick façade.

THE BRICK, THE WINE, AND THE MOUNTAIN IN SWITZERLAND, CLOSE TO THE ITALIAN BORDER, THE WINE PRODUCER AGRILORO HAS A NEW BUILDING THAT APPEARS TO BE CARVED OUT OF THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS.

The undersigned is no exception, so I am excited as I leave Malpensa Airport, bound for Ticino in southern Switzerland.

2 The herringbone-patterned Kolumba flows in a gentle curve up into the horizontal plane, where it fuses with a wild-bond brick façade. Upon reaching the first floor, the façade curves again and in a gesture towards the landscape forms the underside of the cantilevered terrace. THE BRICK, THE WINE, AND THE MOUNTAIN IN SWITZERLAND, CLOSE TO THE ITALIAN BORDER, THE WINE PRODUCER AGRILORO HAS A NEW BUILDING THAT APPEARS TO BE CARVED OUT OF THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS. Wine production is a fascinating intersection between agriculture, culture, science, art and delicious products and precisely for those reasons, it is highly attractive to a great many people. The undersigned is no exception, so I am excited as I leave Malpensa Airport, bound for Ticino in southern Switzerland. My destination is the winemaker Agriloro SA, which has been repeatedly voted Switzerland s top wine producer since it was founded in My visit is inspired by Agriloro s new premises by architect Melanie Stocker, of Stocker Lee Architetti, who I am to meet. After an hour s drive, I reach the town of Mendrisio and Agriloro s new premises. As if carved out of the mountainside, it looms large, like a sculpture, shaped in a single material, at once organic and angular. The hard-fired bricks have paradoxically become flexible in the architects hands, and fit snugly to the sculptural shapes. The dark-grey shades and golden glint of the brickwork reflect the colours in the vineyards, in the natural stone wall along the road and in the surrounding mountains. Understandably, the landscape around Mendrisio is part of a conservation area. The office and lounge provide access to the large, north-east-facing, cantilevered terrace. 2

The square where the finished product is loaded stretches the entire length of the basement underneath. The many shades of Kolumba reflect the hues in the stone wall that skirts the road.

According to Melanie Stocker, finding the right brick was critical to the success of the project.

Kolumba has that rustic structure and the colours we wanted. We also found a rectangular version that repeats the horizontal lines in the vineyards.

Kolumba was perfect for the job, as the hard-firing makes it ideal for paving. The only difference was that the version used for the paving was in a slightly shorter format, Stocker explains.

At first-floor level, the brick façade curves again and forms as a gesture towards the landscape the underside of the cantilevered terrace.

Stocker has succeeded in designing the new building so that it essentially constitutes a logical, spatial workflow diagram.

3 The square where the finished product is loaded stretches the entire length of the basement underneath. The many shades of Kolumba reflect the hues in the stone wall that skirts the road. The perforated brickwork is beautiful, practical and means that the covered arrival and departure area does not count towards the building s official square footage. According to Melanie Stocker, finding the right brick was critical to the success of the project. Agriloro is in a conservation area, and the agency responsible for cultural and landscape preservation demanded that we use brick that would look like an integral part of the landscape. Kolumba has that rustic structure and the colours we wanted. We also found a rectangular version that repeats the horizontal lines in the vineyards. On the side of the building facing the valley, a large parking area has been set aside as a loading bay. It was important that the façades and this square had the same look. Kolumba was perfect for the job, as the hard-firing makes it ideal for paving. The only difference was that the version used for the paving was in a slightly shorter format, Stocker explains. The herringbone-patterned Kolumba tiling grows in a gentle curve up along the horizontal plane, where it transforms into a wild-bond brick façade. At first-floor level, the brick façade curves again and forms as a gesture towards the landscape the underside of the cantilevered terrace. Modern wine production involves a whole host of processes pressing, fermentation, stabilisation, mixing, refining, storage and filling of bottles. Stocker has succeeded in designing the new building so that it essentially constitutes a logical, spatial workflow diagram. Due to its location on a mountainside, the building is dug into the terrain, and has one or two floors. Twostorey cellars account for half of the total area of 11,500 square metres. The production process takes the wine from the upper to the lower level. Guests and employees and in September, the newly plucked grapes arrive at the side of the building that faces the top of the mountain. You either drive or walk into a covered arrival area. Here, grapes are poured through holes in the floor, down into large steel tanks in the upper cellar. To avoid stressing the grapes, they are pressed solely by their own weight, without the use of a press. The entrance area is open on the building s long side, while the short sides are screened off by single-brick walls arranged in a perforated pattern. The perforation means that The first pressed grapes are evaluated and enjoyed. Agriloso grows 16 red grape varieties and 11 white. 3

The custom-made doors and window surrounds in anodised aluminium have the same golden shade that glistens from the brickwork.

the 420 square metres of this space are not included in the site total, which made it possible to enlarge the building with a corresponding number of square meters.

Owner and producer Meinrad C. Perler welcomes many guests for winetasting and other events.

Stocker Lee Architetti designed the big table, which is suitable for receptions and buffets but folds out for dining and conferences.

I have seen the building from a distance, explored every nook and cranny and am replete with visual and sensual impressions. The exterior is distinctive, original and modern.

Look closer, and you encounter a number of details implemented with great empathy. The brickwork s varied patterns and bonds contribute to the textural appearance.

4 The custom-made doors and window surrounds in anodised aluminium have the same golden shade that glistens from the brickwork. The decorative perforation in the brickwork on the north-east-facing side allows for ventilation. the 420 square metres of this space are not included in the site total, which made it possible to enlarge the building with a corresponding number of square meters. From here, you access the reception and the large admin office. Wine production on Agriloro s level arouses a great deal of interest from both professionals and private individuals. Owner and producer Meinrad C. Perler welcomes many guests for winetasting and other events. The building has a kitchen and a large lounge, which accommodates dining, wine-tasting and conferences. Stocker Lee Architetti designed the big table, which is suitable for receptions and buffets but folds out for dining and conferences. From the communal space and office, you step out onto the long, covered terrace, where you are treated to incredible outdoor views of the valley and mountains. An hour has passed. I have seen the building from a distance, explored every nook and cranny and am replete with visual and sensual impressions. The exterior is distinctive, original and modern. The careful positioning and natural materials mean that the new building is in harmony with its surroundings. Look closer, and you encounter a number of details implemented with great empathy. The brickwork s varied patterns and bonds contribute to the textural appearance. Door and window surrounds of anodised aluminium in the exact same golden colour that glints from the brickwork contribute to the sense of a compositional whole. In the two cellars where the wine ferments and matures, the architects have left the walls and floors in beautiful, respectively yellow and red glazed tiling. By doing so, Stocker Lee Architetti have succeeded in bestowing the industrial functions with the poetry and identity that characterise the rest of the building. The first harvest arrives at Agriloro. The grapes are poured through the funnels into tanks in the basement. They are pressed by their own weight, without using machinery. Large steel tanks in the upper basement are used for fermentation. 4

The concrete floor on the covered space and in the

At 58 cm, Kolumba is the right length for making

Construction management: Ferruccio Robbiani SA,

Brick: K58 Text: Ida Præstegaard, architect Photos:

5 The concrete floor on the covered space and in the two basements are glazed in different colours. At 58 cm, Kolumba is the right length for making patterns that would be impossible with standard products. Agriloro SA, Mendrisio, Switzerland Developer: Meinrad C. Perler Architect: Stocker Lee Architetti, Mendrisio Construction management: Ferruccio Robbiani SA, Mendrisio Engineer: De Giorgi & Partners, Muralto Brick: K58 Text: Ida Præstegaard, architect Photos: Paul Kozlowski Upper basement Ground floor First-floor level The wine matures in oak barrels in the lower basement. The packed boxes ready for collection. Architect Melanie Stocker. 5

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