Bjarke Ingels pellergino concept

January 1,2014 by Rinko | 55 comments

BIG / bjarke ingels group has beaten proposals from firms including snohetta and MVRDV in an international competition to build the San Pellegrino flagship factory in northern Italy. Nestled within an alpine backdrop, the €90 million scheme will serve as an extension to the original plant where water has been freshly bottled since 1899. Known for its high-end sparkling mineral water, San pellegrino’s new home will be situated within a 17,000 square meter facility that will simultaneously embrace the local architecture and enhance the existing.
K BIG’s winning proposal will be defined by the use of the arch — a feature that architect bjarke ingels describes as ‘the most elegant way to create a big span.’ the series of expanding and contracting internal archways will introduce spaces that become vaults, turnings, arcades, and pergolas.

"We are trying to take all the elements that are inherent to the san pellegrino experience and the quality of the mineral water and condense them into an architecture that is both functional and experiential, both rational and poetic.
Bjarke Ingels

‘We wanted to create a continuity of experience from the production to the consumption of the water, from the preparation to the enjoyment,’ explains bjarke ingels. As well as facilitating the bottling plant and factory, visitors will be able to learn about san pellegrino’s history and process. In addition, a giant geological sample will be placed at the heart of the campus to represent the water’s 30-year journey through layers of rock to obtain the minerals and flavor stored inside each green bottle.