Nestled in the Banayan Tree Veya property complex, Pictograma Winery, opened in 2023, was designed by Mexican visionaries Rojkind Arquitectos in collaboration with AMASA Estudio as a production hub and visiting facility to create a landmark in Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico. The wheel-shaped, earth-tone building fosters an engaging dialogue between contemporary form and regional wisdom.
Spanning 1,963 square metres on a 35-acre vineyard on the Baja California peninsula, the project reinterprets regional architecture in a modern contextual design, focusing on regional history, hospitality, and the surrounding natural environment. The regional elements were interpreted in the dynamic contemporary design of Pictograma Winery that connects with people, place, and culture.
Inspired by Franciscan architecture, the design aims to connect visitors to the land and provide an immersive journey to the winemaking process. The regional architecture of mud bricks and vaults became the guiding principle for the architects to devise a modern organic layout that reflects the surrounding rugged terrain.
Circular Geometry Rooted in Landscape
The inward-looking, cloister-like form was supported by 22 intersecting brick vaults, provoking a parabolic vaulted roofscape with deep shadows and natural thermal regulation. The solidity of the structure, crafted with locally sourced concrete and brick, partially submerges in the ground and merges with the landscape, reinforcing the material tactility and craftsmanship.
A circular plan, measuring 25 meters in radius, organized by 12 radial reinforced-concrete walls, represents seamless transitions blurring the inside and outside spaces. A 113 m² circular courtyard at the center acts as a visual anchor paved with radial brickwork for interactive programs, surrounded by tasting rooms, fermentation tanks, bottling areas, barrel-aging cellars, and laboratories.
Courtyard as the Heart of the Winery
Flooded with natural light, the central courtyard was designed as the heart of the winery, a vibrant place for visitors to engage and interact with the landscape. The eastern vault was removed to provide an open-air garden and cross ventilation in the spaces. Along the side of the winery, there are 28 guest villas across the site to provide an immersive hospitality experience and foster longer stays and engagement with local wine culture.
The material palette echoes the land, including sand-colored concrete, red clay bricks, weathered steel, and timber, providing visual tactility and a warm environment. The interiors of exposed red brick vaults contrast with the monolithic concrete walls. The vegetated berm reduces visual and environmental impact, while the circular courtyard enhances natural ventilation and daylighting. The architectural language of the Pictograma Winery fosters a land-integrated winery layout guided by the rugged terrain, climate, and regional identity.
Building with the Language of the Land
The Pictograma Winery exemplifies the context-sensitive design in the Guadalupe Valley that is beyond functional and aesthetic, reflecting local style and culture. The built form’s eco-conscious approach, passive strategies, submerging the built form into the ground, and connecting with the surroundings emphasize environmentally conscious design. The thoughtful choice of material and craftsmanship shows how modern architecture respects regional tradition and contributes to designing a unique spatial experience.
At the center of viticulture, Pictograma Winery reflects architectural experimentation and context-responsive design that pursues a sustainable ethos and learnings from regional heritage. The expressive form and composition of the spatial spaces enhance an experiential journey for Mexico’s leading wine valley.
Pictograma Winery Project details
Architects: Rojkind Arquitectos, AMASA Estudio
Location: El Porvenir, Valle de Guadalupe, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Completion: 2023
Gross Floor Area: 1,963 m²
Image Credit: © Rojkind Arquitectos/Grupo UBK
