Celaya Wineries receives the COACM First Prize for Permanence at the Castilla-La Mancha Architecture and Urbanism Awards
The jury recognises the durability, graceful ageing and continued relevance of a building constructed between 1999 and 2003, which remains fully operational more than two decades later.
Celaya Wineries, a project by architect Eloy Celaya Escribano located in La Roda, Albacete, has received the COACM First Prize for Permanence at the Castilla-La Mancha Architecture and Urbanism Awards.
The Permanence category recognises works over twenty years old that stand out for their durability, appropriate ageing and ability to remain relevant over time, highlighting architectures capable of continuing to be useful and meaningful decades after their construction.
The jury stated the following:
“Architecture with personality that has endured over time thanks to its suitability for use and its timeless language.”
Celaya Wineries was developed in two phases, completed in 1999 and 2003, and continues to operate today as a productive facility linked to winemaking. The project emerged from research into natural structures and biological growth systems, translating these principles into an architecture conceived as an integrated and adaptable system.
In contrast to conventional models based on the aggregation of independent spaces, the project was conceived as a global structure in which the different productive functions are organised within a single architectural container. The proposal explored relationships between structure, envelope and interior space through a logic inspired by natural processes of growth and organisation.
The use of materials such as concrete, steel and insulated metal panels, together with a clear and flexible spatial organisation, has allowed the building to maintain its functional efficiency and architectural stability over time.
More than twenty years after its construction, the work fully retains its use and capacity to respond, demonstrating that architectural permanence depends not only on material resistance, but also on the conceptual strength of the ideas that support it.
This recognition also acknowledges architecture as a discipline capable of generating durable, adaptable structures linked to long timeframes, which are especially relevant in a context where sustainability and permanence are becoming increasingly important.
Technical information
Project: Celaya Wineries
Architect: Eloy Celaya Escribano
Location: La Roda, Albacete, Spain
Construction: 1999–2003
Award: COACM First Prize for Permanence – III Castilla-La Mancha Architecture and Urbanism Awards
