Starck designs new ‘ship shaped’ winery

Renowned French designer Philippe Starck has collaborated with Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion in Bordeaux on a new winery project for the estate.

As reported by Le Figaro, Starck’s 2,000 square metre, ship shaped design was unveiled this week in Bordeaux and is set to make use out of concrete, glass and metal.

Starck is working with architect Luc Arsène-Henry on the project for the gravity-led winery, based in Pessac-Léognan.

The new winery will be set across four floors and will feature a cellar built underneath a manmade lake in order to maintain a constant temperature.

The winery, due to open next summer, will also feature a tasting room and a terrace boasting panoramic views of the estate.

Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion was sold to property tycoon Patrice Pichet in 2010 for a reported €18m. After the sale, Stéphane Derenoncourt was called in as a consultant.

The 4.7-hectare estate is planted with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

In addition to a grand vin, Les Carmes Haut-Brion, which was once part of the Haut-Brion estate that belonged to Jean de Pontac, also produces a second wine, Le Clos des Carmes.

This is not the first time a high profile designer has collaborated on a winery project – in 2006 American architect Frank Gehry put his hand to Marqués de Riscal in Rioja, as did Santiago Calatrava at neighbouring Ysios in 2001.

More recently, in 2010 Lord Foster designed the winery for Bodegas Portia in Ribera del Duero for the Faustino group, while in 2006 Dame Zaha Hadid completed her project for the tasting room pavilion beside Lopez de Heredia in Rioja.