OFFICE 264

OFFICE has won the private competition for the construction of an olive oil mill on the Trebbio estate in Tuscany, IT. Responding to the aim to produce olive oil of excellent and organic quality, the project strives to provide a small-scale yet highly performing and state-of-art olive oil mill. The site is a UNESCO heritage site, because of the 'Villa del Trebbio', the first of the Medici residences outside of Florence, and possibly the first Renaissance villa in the world. In this context, a spartan industrial building stands modestly in the middle of the olive groves as a simple square, where all it spaces act perfectly to each step taken in the process to produce the best organic olive oil. Machinery for production stand freely in the high ceiling space, a lightweight mezzanine structure gives space to smaller office spaces and bottling rooms, while on top guest are invited for a tasting of the excellent olive oil produced. An inclined, circular roof, scattered with rocks extracted from the surrounding fields lays on the efficient square building. Floating parallel to the topography of the landscape, this circular form becomes the main facade of the building, and provides a contemporary addition in a unique yet fragile surrounding of heritage nature and architecture. Eventually, the guests are invited on top of this circular roof, allowing them to enjoy the view of the heritage site while experiencing the taste of the oil created from the resources of the very land.