桑托斯烈酒酿酒厂丨阿根廷丨Valeria Moreno

Architects:Valeria Moreno

Area:548m²

Year:2022

Photographs:Luis Abba

Manufacturers:Grupo LTN,Materiales Urquiza,Solar Pampeana

Lead Architects:Valeria Moreno

Category:Brewery

Design Team:Florencia Costanzo

Engineering & Consulting > Civil:3D Ingeniería

General Contractor :CAMER S.A.

City:Los Sauces

Country:Argentina

Text description provided by the architects. Located in Tunuyán, in the heart of the Uco Valley, the Santos Espiritus distillery arises from the desire to connect the artisanal creation of spirits with the sensory experience of the Mendoza landscape. The project, conceived by architect María Valeria Moreno, translates the strong spiritual vision of its client, Renato "Tato" Giovanonni, into a contemporary industrial architecture anchored in a natural, arid, rocky environment, perfumed by untouched native vegetation.

The architectural idea originates from a pure geometry: the triangle. Its three sides condense the narrative pillars of the project—mountain, water, and creation—that interact with the mountain range as a backdrop and with the alluvial channel that defines the land. The distillery is situated without interfering with the native flora, maintaining the original topography and preserving the xerophytic environment characteristic of the region.

The design is organized into three clearly differentiated functional areas: a social reception space for tasting and sales for visitors; a space dedicated to the production and crafting of spirits, which houses the still, the distillation tower, and the laboratory; and a third sector for industrial services and storage. The program is articulated through two access points—one industrial for daily operations and another pedestrian for visits—connected by a walkway that winds through the vegetation, allowing for an immersive and contemplative approach to the site.

The materiality reinforces the dual identity of the project. The building is clad in stone-colored thermal panels, with exposed UPN 200 perimeter beams, W310 columns, and a polished fiber-reinforced concrete floor that celebrates constructive honesty. The retractable PVC movable sunshades provide privacy and solar protection, while the laminated double-glazed windows with sliding PVC carpentry dissolve the boundary between interior and exterior, enhancing the connection with the pure landscape.

Sustainability is not a complement to the project but a core operational axis. 100% of the industrial distillation process, along with the building's electrical project, is fully powered by solar energy. This decision makes Santos Espiritus a self-sufficient industry, drastically reducing its dependence on the conventional grid.

The project also incorporates a specific system for treating and reusing industrial water from the production process, as well as responsible management of the alluvial channel that defines the land. The waste water from the industry undergoes a purification process designed in conjunction with the sustainable electrical scheme, consolidating an efficient resource production cycle that is conscious of its environment and has reduced impact.

The interior spaces are designed as an experience of flow, contrast, and emotion. Natural light creates a sensory transition between interior and exterior, while the central space—a gathering courtyard—acts as a place for stories, encounters, and contemplation under Mendoza's starry sky. At night, a soft linear lighting guides the path without competing with the vastness of the firmament.

Santos Espiritus is more than a distillery: it is an architectural space that emphasizes the transformation process of essences, built from simplicity, horizontality, and material honesty, and designed so that the landscape remains the main protagonist.

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