Santiago Calatrava's Ysios Bodegas

This winery building stands against the magnificent backdrop of the Sierra de Cantabria
Mountains, amid broad swathes of vineyards, and in complete harmony with the landscape. It is
a supreme symbiosis between functionality, tradition and the avant-garde. With a background in
architecture and civil engineering, Calatrava is also a sculptor and painter. This artistic
combination is evident not just in Ysios Bodegas but in the majority of his projects.
A major hurdle for this design was the
uneven terrain, which sees dramatic grade
changes of almost 32' (approx. 10 m) of
difference between the highest levels in the
north and the lowest in the south. The design
put the uneven terrain to advantage: the
static "movement" of the winery captures
the essence of the surrounding environment
and functions as a working bodega.

Imagery and reflection are principal characteristics of the Ysios Bodega building. The rolling
aluminum roof takes advantage of the uneven ground while producing a silhouette of stacked
wine barrels that run the length of the building. Seen from above, the estate takes the shape of a
wine glass.
Creating a sharp contrast to the metal roof, the rustic facade is constructed of horizontal cedar
planks, the only wood type that was flexible enough to mould to the shape conceived by the
architect. Two lateral reflecting pools (See Figure 4) lined with white ceramic tiles create a
mirror-like reflection at the foot of the building. Its construction has set a new architectural
milestone and, today, it is a landscape symbol for the area.

Figure 4