Carlos Martinez Architekten

Viticultural surplus – In the north of Buchs, the Secli Weinwelt is situated between the industrial belt and a residential neighbourhood. The housing and commercial complex consists of 15 cubes. They resemble stacked wine crates and extend over two floors each. The terracotta-clad building consciously evokes associations with the world of wine and translates the client’s requirements into form and material.

The concept and implementation far surpass the original demands of the client to combine an office and a warehouse, thereby minimising the logistical friction losses. The architects developed a hybrid building method with connected functions that, in terms of content and urban planning, conform to the requirements of housing, work and leisure.

“The cathedral of wine”, with its store of large bottles, forms the heart of the facility. In this completely surrounded forum, visitors experience the volume via its impressive ceiling height. The transparent, light offices are situated on the first floor. A glass meeting room inserted into the storage space provides mutual visibility: into the world of wine and into the connecting area of everyday work, which is carried out with such passion.

Like separating elements inside wine crates, round glass panes in two sizes are distributed on the foyer and office wall, partitioning them from the cavern-like two-storey high-bay storage. There one finds illuminated presentation niches sorted according to the wine’s provenance. Six spacious apartments are situated in the southern section of the building.