Foster + Partners designs the expansion and renovation of Bodegas Faustino with sustainability at its core

The renowned architecture firm Foster + Partners has designed a major expansion and renovation of Bodegas Faustino in Oyón (Rioja Alavesa), commissioned by the fourth generation of the Martínez Zabala family. In line with the shared vision of the studio and the winery, sustainability is a key element of the project, which includes a new visitor center named “Planeta 1.0.”

Located in the heart of Spain’s most prominent wine region, Bodegas Faustino is where the family began building its winemaking legacy. The winery began exporting in the 1960s—its first shipment went to Austria—and today it sells in more than 140 countries worldwide. Stepping into Bodegas Faustino means entering a place of wine history, home to a vast cellar of 60,000 barrels and nine million bottles.

Foster + Partners’ design offers a holistic reinterpretation of the site, fostering a deeper connection between the winery’s facilities and the landscape. The main entrance has been relocated to the northern edge of the estate to redefine the visitor experience: now, the first impression is the vineyard itself—a journey that merges wine, nature, architecture, culture, and sustainability into one integrated experience.

A gentle path leads to the new visitor center, the heart of the project. Designed as a column-free vaulted hall, the space is open and flexible. The arched timber roof references the winery’s industrial past and is realized as a lightweight, efficient structure. Its catenary form maximizes strength using minimal materials, while its natural tones allow the architecture to harmonize with the landscape.

An asymmetrical core connects to the upper mezzanine, while organizing two distinct areas on the lower level, each with a unique character. From the upper level, visitors enjoy sweeping views of the new visitor center and the surrounding vineyard.

Planeta 1.0: a new vision for sustainability

The new visitor center is named Planeta 1.0 because its carbon emissions are fully offset by the vegetated roof—making it a true benchmark of sustainability. The building follows a Plus Energy strategy, powered by rooftop photovoltaic panels that produce more energy than needed. The surplus is fed into the rest of the winery’s operations.

Large cantilevered eaves on all four façades reduce solar heat gain while blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor. A central skylight and carefully integrated glazed façades bring in abundant natural light, reducing the need for artificial lighting. Natural construction materials create a biophilic environment that enhances well-being for both visitors and staff.

The newly designed landscape introduces native species to promote biodiversity and incorporates subtle topographical changes to protect the winery from increasingly frequent torrential rains. These changes also connect the new building with the existing facilities. The relocation of loading bays and harvest control stations has significantly improved operational efficiency.

In addition, underutilized structures have been removed to allow future expansion in line with Bodegas Faustino’s commitment to integrating new technologies into winemaking. Vegetation has been added to the façades of existing buildings to protect them from the summer sun and further reduce energy consumption.

Proyecto: Bodegas Faustino
Location: Oyón, Spain
Completion: 2024
Architecture: Foster + Partners
Design team: Nigel Dancey, Taba Rasti, Pablo Urango Lilo, Jaime Valle, Javier Barja de Quiroga Redondo
Collaborating architect: Aspa Ingenieros & Consultores
Structural consultants: Euteca
Engineering: Aspa Ingenieros & Consultores, Valladares Ingeniería
Main contractors: Phase 1 – ELGUEA Construcciones; Phase 2 – Empty S.L.
Lighting consultant: Osaba Iluminación

Project features

Materials: Larch structure, oak façades and interior cladding, stone flooring, pine slats in the roof.
Energy and CO₂ emissions: Natural cross ventilation, large overhangs for solar control, photovoltaic roof generating 35 MW/year, self-sufficient building with a 70% energy surplus redirected to other winery buildings. High-performance façades.
Mobility and connectivity: EV charging points in the new parking area.
Water: The landscaping incorporates native plant species with low water requirements. There is extensive use of timber throughout the structure, cladding, and interior finishes. Structural timber usage includes: 63 m³ of timber roofing in the Visitor Center, 32 m³ of structural beams in the Visitor Center, 10 m³ of structural columns in the parking area, and 5 m³ of timber purlins in the Visitor Center—bringing the total structural timber volume to 110 m³. The estimated total CO₂ absorption of this structural timber is 70 TCO₂eq.
Soil and ecology:Excavated soil reused in landscape design. Over 100 new trees and more than 20 plant species added to increase biodiversity. Wide variety of wood species—larch, oak, pine, and cedar—used to encourage industry diversity.
Biophilic environment:Extensive use of wood and open views to the vineyard and natural surroundings, including a new garden.
Cultural and historical context:The project secures the future of this historic winery, a cornerstone of the region’s wine economy. It ensures long-term viability and supports the local social ecosystem that relies on the winery’s activity.

Foster + Partners

Founded by Norman Foster in 1967, Foster + Partners is a global studio for sustainable architecture, urbanism, engineering, and design. With offices around the world, the firm operates as a single, multicultural entity where people are at the core of everything they do.

All partners are shareholders and form the foundation of the practice. They play a key role in the studio’s ongoing evolution and take responsibility for each project, which is distributed across the architecture teams. To preserve the studio’s design philosophy, the Design Board reviews all projects at every stage. Daily operations are managed by the Management Board, made up of partners and senior partners. The Partnership Board oversees the studio’s overall strategic direction.

“Architecture should be forward-looking and aim to create the kind of world we would like to inhabit in the future. We believe design can be a catalyst for positive environmental change. Our work is an attempt to bring that vision to life and to produce buildings that are ahead of their time. The studio brings together expertise in architecture, structural and environmental engineering, urbanism, interior and industrial design, model-making, film, geometry, material research, and more. Our collaborative workplace is like a compact university. By working together from the outset, we learn from each other and combine our knowledge to generate fully integrated design solutions.” — Foster + Partners

Norman Foster is widely regarded as one of the most influential architects of our time. Known for his large-scale works and use of advanced technologies, he was born in Manchester in 1935, studied at the University of Manchester, and later received a scholarship to Yale University.

He worked alongside architect Richard Buckminster Fuller and co-founded Team 4 in 1965 with his first wife Wendy, Richard Rogers, and Rogers’ wife, Sue. After Team 4 dissolved three years later, Norman and Wendy founded Foster Associates.

His early projects embraced a distinct high-tech style influenced by Rogers. Over time, his designs softened in form and moved away from purely technical expression.

Foster was knighted in 1990 and received the Order of Merit in 1997. In 1999, Queen Elizabeth II granted him the life peerage title of Baron Foster of Thames Bank. He has been awarded the AIA Gold Medal and, in 1999, the prestigious Pritzker Prize.

Today, Foster + Partners has offices in London, Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Madrid, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Singapore, Sydney, and Warsaw.

Source: Foster + Partners

Project by Foster+Partners