During the renovation of a historic villa near Venice, Showine built an underground wine cellar, a Helicave Oval measuring 3.50 × 2.55 metres, accessed through a glass hatch set into the floor. The solution created a dedicated space for wine without taking any surface area away from the existing rooms, while also becoming one of the most distinctive features of the project.
Creating a wine cellar where there was no space
The villa, dating from the eighteenth century, was undergoing a major renovation. Its spaces were also intended for hospitality and events and included a kitchen and dining areas, but there was no proper wine cellar.
The owners, both wine enthusiasts, were looking for a way to keep their collection without creating a new room.
The project therefore developed beneath the floor, without adding any volume to the existing rooms.
Walking through the room, you catch sight of the glass surface of the hatch, which offers a glimpse of the cellar on the level below.
A room built beneath the floor
Building an underground wine cellar begins before the structure is installed.
During the site visit, Showine checks the available space and the logistics of the work. Depending on the model chosen, it provides guidance on the dimensions of the excavation, which must be prepared before installation.
A waterproof butyl membrane is laid in the excavation, as part of the Helicave system, to protect the structure from groundwater. The concrete base is cast at the bottom; the prefabricated elements are then assembled to form the oval volume and the internal staircase.
Natural ventilation and optional climate control
Helicave underground wine cellars are designed to encourage natural ventilation and do not include a forced climate control system as standard.
In this project, dedicated ducts allow a gentle natural exchange of air inside the cellar. This movement helps limit stagnant humidity and prevent mould and the unpleasant odours that come with it.
At the design stage, the cellar can be prepared for a forced climate control system to be installed in the future. The choice also depends on the geographical location and the conditions of the site: in warmer areas, during the four or five summer months, cooling may be advisable to meet the needs of the collection.
A wine cellar that becomes part of the villa experience
Once the structure was complete, the interior was finished in shades of burgundy and arranged to hold the collection along the walls, leaving the central path clear.
The glass hatch remains visible at floor level. Its motorised opening gives access to the cellar via the internal staircase and turns the entrance into a surprising feature for anyone crossing the room.
The position amplifies this effect: anyone arriving at the villa’s floors by lift meets the cellar along their route. It is not hidden away in a service room, but becomes part of the experience of the spaces devoted to hospitality.
The result is a space for wine created beneath the floor, which takes no surface area away from the villa and brings a contemporary element into the historic architecture, discreet when closed and dramatic when opened.
An underground wine cellar with a glass floor hatch in an eighteenth-century Venetian villa
During the renovation of a historic villa near Venice, Showine built an underground wine cellar, a Helicave Oval measuring 3.50 × 2.55 metres, accessed through a glass hatch set into the floor. The solution created a dedicated space for wine without taking any surface area away from the existing rooms, while also becoming one of the most distinctive features of the project.
Creating a wine cellar where there was no space
The villa, dating from the eighteenth century, was undergoing a major renovation. Its spaces were also intended for hospitality and events and included a kitchen and dining areas, but there was no proper wine cellar.
The owners, both wine enthusiasts, were looking for a way to keep their collection without creating a new room.
The project therefore developed beneath the floor, without adding any volume to the existing rooms.
Walking through the room, you catch sight of the glass surface of the hatch, which offers a glimpse of the cellar on the level below.
A room built beneath the floor
Building an underground wine cellar begins before the structure is installed.
During the site visit, Showine checks the available space and the logistics of the work. Depending on the model chosen, it provides guidance on the dimensions of the excavation, which must be prepared before installation.
A waterproof butyl membrane is laid in the excavation, as part of the Helicave system, to protect the structure from groundwater. The concrete base is cast at the bottom; the prefabricated elements are then assembled to form the oval volume and the internal staircase.
Natural ventilation and optional climate control
Helicave underground wine cellars are designed to encourage natural ventilation and do not include a forced climate control system as standard.
In this project, dedicated ducts allow a gentle natural exchange of air inside the cellar. This movement helps limit stagnant humidity and prevent mould and the unpleasant odours that come with it.
At the design stage, the cellar can be prepared for a forced climate control system to be installed in the future. The choice also depends on the geographical location and the conditions of the site: in warmer areas, during the four or five summer months, cooling may be advisable to meet the needs of the collection.
A wine cellar that becomes part of the villa experience
Once the structure was complete, the interior was finished in shades of burgundy and arranged to hold the collection along the walls, leaving the central path clear.
The glass hatch remains visible at floor level. Its motorised opening gives access to the cellar via the internal staircase and turns the entrance into a surprising feature for anyone crossing the room.
The position amplifies this effect: anyone arriving at the villa’s floors by lift meets the cellar along their route. It is not hidden away in a service room, but becomes part of the experience of the spaces devoted to hospitality.
The result is a space for wine created beneath the floor, which takes no surface area away from the villa and brings a contemporary element into the historic architecture, discreet when closed and dramatic when opened.
The project gallery