christian de portzamparc: chateau cheval blanc winery

‘chateau cheval blanc’ by christian de portzamparc, saint-emilion, france image © erick saillet all images courtesy of christian de portzamparc

owners of the cheval blanc winery, baron frere and bernard arnault, wanted to capture the same elegance and attention to detail that goes into their cherished product when designing their new establishment. french architect christian de portzamparc, winner of the 1994 pritzker prize, conceived of the new ‘chateau cheval blanc’ in saint-emilion. also known as ‘the winery under the hill’, the new establishment is located under a massive sweeping structure with a rooftop garden and is always visually and spatially connected to the rows of grapevines. the entirely concrete construction boasts six curvilinear load-bearing walls that flow through the program as the main support system connected by a series of crossbeams. the canopy is pulled away from the immense members creating skylights that create the opportunity for natural light to subtly find its way inside.

approach image © erick saillet

the re-purposed orangery, originally part of the chateau, now acts as the reception with a small glass enclosure connecting it to the new project that extends views towards the exterior. proceeding to the cuvier, 52 custom-made vats line the interior partitions, constituting the most expansive volume in the design. an open courtyard serves as a multipurpose area used for sorting and bottling and provides an entry sequence to the workshops, a wood-clad space used for packaging. undulating polished concrete girders held by round columns enclose the wine cellar capable of holding 566 barrels, with brick mashrabiya walls that hide the mechanical components behind. the green roof invites the user to view the revered vineyard landscape responsible for the success of the business.

context with chateau image © erick saillet