philippe starck's wine cellar for château les carmes haut-brion emerges as a metal blade

philippe starck’s wine cellar for château les carmes haut-brion emerges as a metal blade

emerging sharply from the water in the winery grounds of château les carmes haut-brion, bordeaux, philippe starck and luc arsène-henry together have realized a distinctive wine cellar that promotes the technical efficacy of the facilities, while putting the wine as the focus of the architectural project.

all images courtesy of château les carmes haut-brion  / © philippe labegurie

described as a ‘raw metal blade plunged in the terroir’, the monolithic alucobond-clad construction is surrounded by water and acts as a thermic flywheel, allowing the wine to tolerate any temperature or season without being affected. complementing the form, philippe starck and architect luc arsène-henry / LAHAT architectes chose to use concrete, glass and metal – all arranged to emphasize drama, along with lighting effects and a structure without a single loadbearing point.

‘was this raw metal blade pushed towards the ethers by telluric forces or did it fall here from elsewhere? it’s a magic encapsulated in a miracle from which will come the extraordinary. this blade isn’t frontal, but slightly inclined on which the gaze wanders. as a harmonic confrontation between nature and human genius, it melts and blends in with the water, the soil and the tree bark around. it is the product of nature improvement by human intelligence; it is the expression of nature’s pure intelligence.’ – philippe starck

the project was inaugurated june 24th 2016 and as well as this new structure, restoration work has been carried out on the grounds of château les carmes haut-brion, including a new entrance and the rehabilitation of the hydraulic systems and fountain from the 15th century. beyond the aesthetic aspect, the wetland restoration of the château helps regulate runoff and protect the biodiversity specific to the site.

the structure is made of concrete, metal and glass

wine storage unit

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