The Macallan New Distillery and Visitor Experience, by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, boosts production for the Scottish firm known for its single malt whisky. It's a remarkable looking building, and is defined by a large undulating timber roof that's topped by greenery, helping it take its place among the surrounding countryside.
The Macallan New Distillery and Visitor Experience is located on the same Speyside estate that has been producing Macallan whisky since 1824. The project's budget came in at £140 million (around US$187 million), including all the equipment needed to make the whisky. Construction took up to 400 people three years and six months to complete.
The building measures 14,800 sq m (159,305 sq ft) and is part-buried into a slope. Its design is inspired by ancient Scottish earthworks and is also a response to the rolling landscape that surrounds it.
Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners says the roof is one of the most complex timber structures in the world. It certainly looks impressive and consists of 1,800 timber beams and 380,000 individual components. Atop the roof grows grass and wildflowers and as these continue to mature, the building will blend in more fully with the landscape.
The building is enclosed by a glazed facade and its interior includes a visitors center, three still houses, and a mash house. Visitors are greeted with an exhibition and gallery area, followed by a tour around the production areas where whisky is distilled.
Check out the video below for a look at the construction process.
Source: RSHP