L'Astemia Pentita: the first POP Winery rises among the hills of Barolo
Among the Piedmontese hills of Barolo stands L’Astemia Pentita, the first POP winery in the world.
That it is an unconventional work is already clear from the name: “L’’Astemia”, with a double apostrophe to emphasize the refined provocation.
The building, designed by the architect Gianni Arnaudo, reinterprets the sustainable building envelope through the lens of POP art, transforming the structure into a macroscopic enlargement of two stacked and staggered wine crates.
A conceptual work conceived with strict ecological criteria, presented at the 12th Venice Biennale of Architecture and winner of the first prize in the “100 Projects” competition of the Accademia di San Luca in Rome.
«My goal was not to provoke,“ clarifies architect Gianni Arnaudo, ”but to use architecture as a visual tool to give the building an ethical value, enhancing the packaging through a »zoom gaze' and irony.".
Between memory, landscape and POP interiors
Behind this work is Sandra Vezza's vision, a teetotal entrepreneur by origin but tied to these places by childhood memories with her grandfather among the rows of the Langhe.
The architecture respects the surrounding area by developing predominantly underground: the basement floors house the entire production cycle—from winemaking to aging—so as not to take land away from the vineyards and to integrate with the landscape.
The interiors, designed under the direction of the entrepreneur herself, follow a temporal narrative: autumn tones accompany the phases of the harvest and maturation, while spring shades dress the bottling and storage areas.
From custom furniture to display stands, every detail reflects a coherent and sophisticated POP vision.
The composite wood exterior cladding: the synergy with Woodn Greenwood
Woodn Greenwood is proud to have contributed to this admirable architectural work by supplying the materials for the composite wood cladding.
The choice fell on the facade slats in Advanced WPC by Woodn Greenwood, which is a response designed to guarantee a natural aesthetic, resistance to atmospheric agents, and long-term durability. In particular, some essential aspects were considered:
- Woodn Greenwood's bespoke engineering and in-house design to support the architect in shaping the most complex concepts, identifying the systems suitable to meet architectural challenges
- certified sustainability: FSC® Mix 70 % wood, and materials tracked from recycled or controlled sources along the entire supply chain
An iconic project that demonstrates how Advanced WPC can become an expressive material in the service of’signature sustainable architecture.
Project Details:
Architectural Design and Artistic Direction: Gianni Arnaudo Architect
PhotographDario Fusaro