ribbon of hempcrete and cork winds through spanish highlands in fran silvestre’s winery

hempcrete clads Fran Silvestre Arquitectos winery in spain

Fran Silvestre Arquitectos completes a winery that aims to become a sanctuary for genetic memory in Zayas de Báscones, a village located in the highlands of Soria, Spain. Designed for grapevine experts Vitis Navarra and Bodegas Dominio d’Echauz winery, the project houses a research hub and experimental lab dedicated to rescuing and reviving ancestral grape varieties that once thrived across the Iberian Peninsula.

Materially, the winery is a study in sustainable coherence. Its walls are built from hempcrete blocks, a breathable, insulating mix of plant fibers and lime, enhanced structurally by their curved form and protected under a light, single-pitch metal roof. The entire volume is unified with a continuous white Diathonite coating made from natural cork, sprayed across floors, ceilings, and walls. This offers a monolithic appearance but also ensures high thermal inertia, critical for maintaining stable conditions ideal for wine aging and long-term preservation.

all renderings by Estudio Agraph

Bodegas Dominio d’Echauz revives forgotten vines

The Bodegas Dominio d’Echauz building follows the rural Castilian land’s natural topography, emerging like an extension of the terrain. Its two defining curved walls, drawn from the soft geometry of the surrounding vineyards, form an organic envelope that organizes the spaces and rituals of winemaking. Through a process of micro-vinification, these nearly forgotten vines are brought back to life, creating what is essentially a viticultural ark rooted in contemporary architecture. From grape reception to fermentation, oak barrel aging, and finally bottling, the structure unfolds in a linear sequence that reflects the logic of oenological practice, with moments of expansion for tasting areas, research, and social gatherings.

The project also forms part of the Basajaun collection, a conceptual thread that connects Fran Silvestre Arquitectos’ work with mythologies of nature. Named after the guardian spirit of the forest in Basque folklore, the winery becomes a threshold, between tradition and innovation, cultivation and experimentation, architecture and ecology. 

the project aims to rescue and revive ancestral grape varieties

a continuous white Diathonite coating made from natural cork unifies the entire volume

the structure unfolds in a linear sequence

two defining curved walls draw from the geometry of the surrounding vineyards | model by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos

project info:

name: Bodegas Dominio d’Echauz winery

architect: Fran Silvestre Arquitectos | @fransilvestrearquitectos

location: Zayas de Báscones, Soria, Spain

project architects: Fran Silvestre, Sevak Asatrián, David Cirocchi

developer: Vitis Navarra, Bodegas Dominio d’Echauz

engineering: ALFATEC

collaborating architects: María Masià, Pablo Camarasa, Ricardo Candela, Estefanía Soriano, Carlos Lucas, Andrea Baldo, Ángelo Brollo, Javi Herrero, Paco Chinesta, Gino Brollo, Facundo Castro, Anna Alfanjarín, Laura Bueno, Susana León, David Cirocchi, Neus Roso, Nuria Doménech, Andrea Raga, Olga Martín, Víctor González, Pepe Llop, Alberto Bianchi, Pablo Simò, Laura Palacio, Carlos Perez, Jovita Cortijo, Claudia Escorcia, Diana Murcia, Carlos Ferrer, Diana Vela

interior design: Toni Cremades, Andrea Blasco, Olga Fernández

marketing & PR: Sara Atienza, Andrea Álvarez, Graciela Guillén

finance & administration: Ana de Pablo, Valeria Fernandini, Sandra Mazcuñán

business development: José María Ibañez, Néstor Bolinches
visualizations: Estudio Agraph | @estudioagraph

The post ribbon of hempcrete and cork winds through spanish highlands in fran silvestre’s winery appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.