proposals unveiled for san pellegrino flagship factory

architecture firms BIG, MVRDV, snøhetta and michele de lucchi’s aMDL studio have presented competing visions for the renovation of san pellegrino’s flagship factory in italy. the bottling plant, which is located at the water’s source in san pellegrino terme, is set to be overhauled as part of an international competition. the brief for the new facility calls for a design that harmonizes with the surrounding topography, while adhering to the image and character of brand.

the judging panel will evaluate each project based on innovation, efficiency, environmental compliance and sustainability, as well as the working environment for employees. s.pellegrino will announce the winning project by the end of september, 2016. see more on each of the proposals below.

MVRDV

MVDRV’s design has been elevated above the landscape in order to both increase the factory’s flexibility, and to present views across the site. ceilings and floors are made of a transparent and slightly reflective material, while on the roof, a layer of water falls to the ground, creating a dramatic waterfall. the factory’s existing façade remains open where possible, affording views of the neighboring landscape. internally, a double-height lobby brings the site’s main public functions together, fostering a spirit of community.

MVRDV

‘we turn the factory even more into a star,’ says MVRDV. ‘we dream about a factory that enlarges its transparency, its honesty, its relation with the landscape… in the existing and new components of the factory, as a factory will ever adapt… a new transparent star floats over the factory and the valley.’

BIG – bjarke ingels group

conceived as an authentic extension of the rational and functional architecture of the existing factory, bjarke ingels group’s proposal forms a framework that allows visitors to immerse themselves in the surrounding alpine nature. the design evolves from a simple archway, forming expanding and contracting tunnels, arcades, and green pergolas that seek to frame the history and heritage of the brand.

BIG – bjarke ingels group

‘like an aquatic equivalent of a wine cellar, the repeating archways expand and contract to create the narrative framework for the purity and clarity of the mineral water, in an environment characterized by lightness, openness and transparency,’ explains bjarke ingels. ‘the architecture of manmade elements is embraced and enhanced by the forces of nature, tapping into the rhythmic rationality of the industrial heritage of s. pellegrino while eliminating the traditional segregation between front and back of house, creating a seamless continuity between production and consumption, preparation and enjoyment.’

BIG – bjarke ingels group

michele de lucchi

michele de lucchi’s studio has developed the entire complex around four key requirements: to be natural, pure, conscientious, and cool. newly planted trees and a pedestrian bridge enhance connections across the site and the adjacent river. meanwhile, the purity of the brand’s water is represented by the consistent use of translucent white glass. employee amenities are also provided, including a gym, a library and a cafeteria.

michele de lucchi

snøhetta

snøhetta’s design takes on a extroverted character, locating the building in a cultural context with public spaces. a new park is created allowing for permeability within the proposal, and ensuring connectivity across the site. located under a floating cloud, the experience lab forms an episodic sequence in the form of a spiraling ramp. the existing factory is shrouded in a stainless steel mesh that adapts to the contours of the buildings.

snøhetta

‘the history of san pellegrino and its water is in itself strong enough to create a successful future,’ explains kjetil thrædal thorsen. ‘snøhetta has drawn its inspiration for the project from this fact, just emphasizing the extraordinary values already embedded in san pellegrino, its nature, in the water and its international standing’.

snøhetta