Château La Coste Art Gallery / Renzo Piano Building Workshop

Architects: Renzo Piano Building Workshop
Location: Aix-en-Provence, France
Area: 285.0 m2
Project Year: 2017
Photographs: Stephane Aboudaram | WE ARE CONTENT, Maurits Van der Staay

Design Team: J. Moolhuijzen, D.Rat, M.Van der Staay (partner and associates in charge) with K.Lim; O.Aubert, C.Colson and Y.Kyrkos (models)
Consultants: Arup (roof structure); AECOM (main structure, MEP); Tangram Architectes (local architect); Rainey Best (project & construction management)
Main Contractors: Architen Landrell (tensile fabric structure); Newsky (glazing); iGuzzini (lighting)
Client: SCEA Château La Coste

From the architect. The new building designed by RPBW rises in the heart of the grapevines of the prestigious Château La Coste realm.

This 285 sq. meters pavilion aims at both displaying art and preserving wine. Due to the natural topography of the soil, it was decided to carve a 6 meters deep valley in the earth so as to fully incorporate the building into the vineyard. The pure glazed façades and roof contrast with the simple exposed concrete used for both the retaining and the exhibition walls. The partly buried building highlights the roof covered with a sail fastened to thin metal arches. These arches echo the graphical layout of the grapevines, enabling to integrate the sail into the vineyard. As a kite, the sail flies and lands, emphasizing all at once the lightness and horizontalness of the building.

Inside, sculpture and photography exhibitions are displayed into a 160 sq. meters gallery benefiting from natural light. The remaining surface is dedicated to wine preservation. Thus, the exhibition space is surrounded by wine cellars whose scale is evidenced by the alcoves at the entrance of the gallery.

From the reception building, the visitors will follow a path to the RPBW pavilion. At the end of the trail, a slight slope leads the visitors to the exhibition gallery’s entrance. At the back of the building, a space dedicated to sculpture is extended by a water mirror that largely reflects the full width of the pavilion.