title. Senior Honor Thesis. Tourism, viticulture and archaeological facilities in the Valley of Pisco

date. 2015

city. Pisco, Peru

description. This Project sought to design an architecture that respects and strengthens the natural landscape of the region. When designing, the topography and the horizontal landscape were taken into account. Traditional elements of the region were reinterpreted so that the intervention did not seem external but rather inherent to the environment. The objective was to dissimulate the architecture and highlight the natural landscape.

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I began by doing a territorial analysis of the Pisco Province in Ica. Next I did an urban analysis of valley, where a main highway passes through and connects the coastal plain with the interior mountains. This unique geography is why historically the Pisco Valley has been and still remains very important. To help me decide on what precise piece of land the project should be developed on, several factors were analyzed, for example climate, topography, and river flooding, among others.

Once I decided on the specific piece of land, I analyzed the landscape behavior and determined the best way to blend the architecture with the landscape. The project is composed of three independent buildings: a Hotel, a Winery specializing in Pisco production, and an Archaeological Center. These three buildings are grouped together to create a complex where different activities can occur simultaneously throughout the day. The main purpose of the project is to revitalize the valley by sustainably exploiting its natural landscape attributes, its economic potential reflected in traditional Pisco production, archeological diffusion, and eco-tourism.

The volumetric design is based on the architecture mimesis with the landscape in order to follow the concept of how the architecture should highlight and enhance the natural environment. The strategic sights are an important conditioning element that influences the volumetric design.