TERROIR: A Wine Pavilion Where Earth is Transformed into Architecture
- Jul 11
- 2 min read
TERROIR , realized in Logroño as part of Concéntrico 2026 , treats soil not only as a building material but also as the memory, climate, and identity of a geography. Designed by Boltshauser Architekten and Garbizu Collar Architecture , the pavilion reinterprets the concept of "terroir," which defines the character of wine, through architecture.
In winemaking, terroir refers to how the soil, climate, time, and human knowledge come together to shape the product. TERROIR applies this same approach to architecture. Using the soil of its location, the building creates a unique spatial experience specific to that geography.
A Climate Produced from the Soil
The pavilion is made of rammed earth and reused wine barrels. However, the project doesn't just aim to make these materials visible; it transforms their natural properties directly into part of the spatial experience.
Designed as a "Climatic Tasting Chamber," the structure regulates temperature, humidity, light, and shade through the inherent behavior of the material itself, rather than mechanical systems. This allows visitors to experience the wine within the environmental conditions that gave rise to it.
More Than a Temporary Pavilion
One of TERROIR's most striking aspects is its departure from traditional methods of compacting earth construction. Normally built on-site, this construction technique is transformed here into a prefabricated, modular system that can be disassembled and reassembled.
Soil from local excavations is transformed into modular elements; used wine barrels are given a second life, first as molds and then as the supporting system for the roof. Thus, the pavilion makes the reuse of materials not only a sustainability strategy but also a fundamental idea in its design.
Could soil be the building material of the future?
TERROIR doesn't offer a nostalgic interpretation of adobe. Rather, it stands out as a full-scale prototype exploring how compacted earth can be reimagined with contemporary production techniques.
In this respect, the project is much more than a temporary festival pavilion. It offers a strong forward-looking research proposal on local materials, low carbon footprint, demountable systems, and climate-friendly architecture.
There are studios in Turkiye working on a similar approach. One of them, Mono Earth , reveals the potential of local materials in contemporary architecture through its research on compressed earth and natural building techniques.
Project Details
Project: TERROIR
Design: Boltshauser Architekten & Garbizu Collar Architecture
Event: Concéntrico 2026
Location: Santiago Church Area, Logroño, Spain
Year: 2026
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