Pilkington Project: Antinori Winery, Bargino, Italy

Antinori winery located in Bargino, between Florence and Siena, in one of the most beautiful Italian regions of Tuscany, is an example of harmonious insertion of the building in the surrounding nature.

The presence of two rows of glass walls extending horizontally along the slope and a pair of sliced roof openings infilled with glass reveal the presence of the underground structure. The use of Pilkington extra clear glass provides visitors an unlimited contact with the picturesque surroundings and access to the daylight.

The glass façade, despite its height and span, is completely safe and resistant to wind loads or accidental breakage. It uses an extra clear laminated glass Pilkington Optilam™ OW with a properly specified thickness of 16.8 mm as other pane and Pilkington Optilam™ Therm S3 OW with a thickness of 12.8 mm as inner pane with low-e coating.

The skylights are made of the same type of low-emissivity laminated glass combined with toughened glass, Pilkington Optiwhite™ T, providing an increased impact resistance.

Antinori winery designed by Archea Associati architects does not violate the surrounding nature visually and has minimum environmental impact. The use of low-emissivity laminated Pilkington Optilam™ Therm S3 OW glass provides thermal insulation, thereby enabling a reduction of energy consumption required for the heating.

The project was selected as finalist for the 2015 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture, or the Mies van der Rohe Award.