Philippe Starck’s wine cellar for Château les Carmes Haut-Brion

August 10, 2016

French designer Philippe Starck presents another impressive artwork in cooperation with the architect Luc Arsène-Henry from LA/HAT Architect to create a cellar for a Bordeaux wine estate, designed to look like a “raw metal blade plunged in the terroir”.

The project was unveiled on June 24th 2016, 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 amazing wine cellar has 2000 square metre monolithic construction, which 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, Starck and architect Arsène-Henry / LAHAT Architects chose to use concrete, glass and metal – all arranged to emphasise drama, along with lighting effects and a structure without a single load-bearing point.

“Free from any architectural gesture, it symbolises the qualities of the wine that is made there: finesse and elegance. The wine’s home had to be evocative, a minimum, an institution, a reflection. The wonder of Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion deserved this consistency, I hope we did not prove unworthy.” ,top designer Stark said about his cellar masterpiece.