Projects / Commercial

Projects / Commercial

Château Jean Voisin

Saint-Émilion

Restructuring and extension of a château

Project owner
Confidential
Architect
Atelier Cambium + Deshoulières Jeanneau
Project management team
Gleizé Energie (fluids), Id Bâtiment (structure), Cabinet Guénolé (surveyor), Forten / Cabinet EC (QS) A+R Paysages (landscape architects)
Image credits
Playtime
Location
Saint-Émilion (33), France
Programme
Restructuring and extension of a château, creation of a winemaking building, and installation of modern systems.
Surface area
1.450 m2
Construction costs
4,2 M€ pre-tax
Status
Studies

The domain, which is surrounded by fifteen hectares of vines, must undergo two major transformations to join the grands cru category: the renovation and extension of the main house into a château, and the thorough restructuring of the wine cellar. A close study of the site led to the integration of a  preponderance of natural elements. The governing principle is slowness; there are no clear breaks. The body of the building maintains a sense of prestige through the construction of a second tower with a slate roof which is symmetrical with the western wing. The horseshoe stairwell, which previously lay off-axis, has now regained its central stature, finally marking a symmetry that was planned but never brought about. Everything was restored to its former state, without engaging in any pastiche. The new extension of the fermenting room is hybrid, a form both contemporary and traditional, plastered with cast earth, the roof appearing to rest atop the structure like an immense suspended beam.

The 15-hectare domain is named for Jean Voysin, town councillor of Saint-Émilion who bought this land in 1583.

Designed as a vast open space, the new fermenting room holds 10 stainless steel tanks atop which rests a shared technical platform in stainless steel that is in turn topped by a motorised hoist used for a gravity-fed vinification.

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