Wine tank warehouse, Stein-Bockenheim, Germany

The project
The Steitz Winery in Stein-Bockenheim was to be expanded with a new wine tank warehouse for 140,000 liters of wine. The interior designer Ingo Haerlin describes the challenge: “We had to integrate the new building harmoniously into the existing ensemble of the L-shaped production facility and guest house. But a wine tank warehouse is also subject to strict climatic requirements so the quality of the wines isn’t jeopardized by improper storage.”

Implementation
That’s why it was decided to build the 178 sqm new building in concrete. The shell made of reinforced concrete with core insulation and prefabricated concrete parts ensures optimal thermal insulation - and the monolithic appearance deliberately sets the structure apart from the environment. “It was important to us to combine different materials, to create contrasts and harmonious connections,” Haerlin continues.

The structural matrix
Haerlin opted for the formliner 2/20 Ahr from the RECKLI SELECT series for the facade: “Pure exposed concrete with smooth formwork would have been too clean for us, especially in contrast to the sandstone of the adjacent guest house. That’s why we wanted a subtle texture that was reminiscent of the classic process of wooden formwork.” The 2/20 Ahr design was exactly the right decision.