Concéntrico 05, Logroño’s International Architecture and Design Festival took place from 26 April to 1 May in different places throughout the historic centre of the Riojan capital and on our Viña Lanciano estate. Placing Logroño firmly on the international culture map once again. This is the third time that we will host one of the installations, based on the use of poplar plywood planks. The names of the previous temporary installations were “Picnic” in the edition 03 of the festival and “Entrever”, in 04, which was awarded the first prize.
Stairway to Heaven
The piece of work selected for Viña Lanciano in the 2019 edition is “Stairway to Heaven”, created by the Madrid-based architect Juan Llamazares Argüelles. This celestial stairway rises up like a watchtower, giving a 360° panoramic view of the vineyard. A project that focuses on a conversation with the environment, thanks to a unique viewing platform positioned more than seven metres above the ground, in the centre of a sea of vines and surrounded to the North, East and West by a meander of the River Ebro.
So what have you been able to see?
From a distance, the landmark stood out among a sea of vines located on a plateau. As you got closer, you see that it was a viewing platform. It was up to the viewer to decide whether to climb up the wooden shaft and metal stairs, to discover a new way of seeing things. Each experience was completely unique as one person could go up at a time. Without distractions. Looking out over the countryside on the horizon, feeling the wind on your skin, perhaps to conclude, like its creator, that, “Beauty surrounds us everywhere, you just have to find the right way of looking at it to appreciate it.“
In the words of the architect Juan Llamazares himself: “We wanted to be part of the environment, but not only by building an object, but more precisely with an object that enhances and showcases this environment in a special way. Our challenge was to build a structure that was as tall as possible to cause your view to change in such a way that you lose contact with your usual way of seeing things, it changes you and makes you realise that in fact you are in an environment that deserves to be admired.”
Appetizer at Viña Lanciano
In honour of the installation, on Sunday 28th we organised a very special activity in our vineyard: the chance to listen to and chat with the architect Juan Llamazares and the director of the festival, Javier Peña Ibáñez, at the foot of the structure. A magical moment, when the ideas behind the creation came to life. While our guests climbed the staircase towards the sky, we took advantage of the occasion to organise a small aperitif in the vineyard, a chance to enjoy our wines and the rebirth of our vines.