In 1988, the Centre de Cr\u00e9ation Industrielle (Centre Georges Pompidou) launched a major European consultation with architects to encourage reflection on the architectural future of wine-producing facilities in the Bordeaux region. The aim was to re-establish a comprehensive architectural vision in order to counteract the proliferation of ad hoc initiatives in which architectural quality is sometimes neglected. Organised into three sections, the exhibition features a \u2018historical\u2019 section, an inventory, followed by a section on current architectural trends in Bordeaux\u2019s wine-producing estates and, finally, a forward-looking approach in which a dozen architects were invited to propose interventions in both urban and rural settings. In rural areas, two estates near Pauillac have been selected: Ch\u00e2teau Pichon-Longueville and the Duhart-Milon vineyard, the latter being unique in that it has no ch\u00e2teau\u2026<\/p>\n
Thus, alongside six other architects, Charles Vandenhove took part in the \u2018imaginary ch\u00e2teaux in the M\u00e9doc\u2019 project \u2013 that is, the conceptual design of a ch\u00e2teau for Duhart-Milon, a project accompanied by a study into the development of complementary business clusters. Following a five-day visit to the region (January 1988) with Jean Dethier, the exhibition\u2019s director, Vandenhove drew up his proposal.<\/p>\n
As in Hellevoetsluis, the architect from Li\u00e8ge makes the most of the site, particularly the waterways, which cause the valley floor to flood every year. The architect envisages a sequence of buildings arranged around a central axis surrounded by a body of water. To the north, a station welcomes passengers alighting from the wine train. On the other side, facing the road, four buildings arranged symmetrically in an L-shape accommodate the residents. Further on, after passing through an archway along the central axis, visitors discover the ch\u00e2teau, also known as the \u2018temple of wine tasting\u2019. Topped by a panoramic roof terrace, the building is crowned with a conical glass dome, above which sits a hollow sphere, a \u2018symbol of the union of Reason and Passion\u2019. Between the station and the ch\u00e2teau, a \u2018Museum of Bordeaux Wine Architecture\u2019, an open-air theatre, four \u2018Wine Embassies\u2019 pavilions and wine-making workshops complete the project. The latter are housed in a long, horizontal building that frames the view.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":895,"template":"","collection_type":[31],"class_list":["post-8694","collection","type-collection","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","collection_type-archives-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n