In the Cuadrat Valley estate of Catalonia’s Les Garrigues region, these facilities for the production of organic oil are located on a hill formed by old terraces that were built to cultivate the land. At the top is a reception pavilion where visitors can taste and buy gourmet products made on the premises. It is the only visible volume on the grounds, and its organic shape adapts to the morphology of the two rock groups that border it. The concrete roof’s curving perimeter traces shapes of the natural environment, and the glass facade gives incredible views of the Serra de Montsant and the Pyrenees.

Fusing with the landscape, 90% of the oil mil is hidden inside the hill through a staggered arrangement of the program, adapting to the original terraces and restoring the stone walls. Consequently, the greater part of the building is buried, all but disappearing. The roofs become visitable green spaces with olive trees and native flora, while the dry stone facades are laid out in parallels and at different levels, in accordance with the topography.

The project seeks to respect and integrate with the environment, and thus uses rock dug up when the hill was emptied, and leaves it visible. The thermal inertia of the mountain has made it possible to create a space with a temperature stable at 18ºC in winter and summer alike, guaranteeing optimal conditions for olive oil production and a considerable reduction in the need for active cooling systems.