JSPA Design’s Winery Châteauneuf-du-Pape: A modern architectural vision rooted in tradition
JSPA Design has undertaken a significant architectural endeavor in the heart of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, harmonizing modernity with tradition in a predominantly rural and agricultural landscape. The project’s ambition extended beyond mere expansion, seeking to integrate a new wine cellar, enhance production capacity, establish a retail space, and create public areas for events. The intervention aimed to seamlessly merge contemporary architectural elements with the region’s historic identity while maintaining coherence in scale and typology.
JSPA Design’s approach to the design centered on a delicate balance between existing structures and new additions, ensuring a clear distinction yet achieving unity in the overall composition. This principle guided the architectural choices, with the extension respecting the scale and character of the surroundings while introducing innovative elements.
A defining material of the JSPA Design’s project, compacted earth, bridges this connection by embedding the building into its environment. While this material has historical significance, its application in a modern context reinforces the structure’s identity, offering both aesthetic and functional advantages. Its thermal and acoustic properties contribute to the sustainability of the facility, ensuring optimal conditions for wine preservation.
The spatial organization divides the program into four separate volumes arranged around a central patio. This fragmented configuration allows for a gradual integration into the village’s urban fabric, maintaining the rhythm of local typologies while reinforcing the connection with the landscape. The link between the existing structure and the new intervention remains entirely underground, avoiding direct contact above ground and preserving the authenticity of both elements. This strategy enhances the project’s ability to blend with the historical setting without overpowering it.
Water management played a crucial role in shaping the design, reinforcing the building’s ecological sensitivity. The use of cantilevered structures channels rainwater from vegetated roofs into a central patio pool, where it is collected and guided underground through discreet slits. This system ultimately directs excess water into the wine cellar, where a subterranean cistern ensures long-term storage. Beyond functionality, the presence of water enhances the sensory experience within the space, contributing to an optimal level of humidity essential for wine conservation.
The atmosphere of the cellar was carefully curated, prioritizing subtle interactions with light to evoke a sense of depth and mystery. Positioned underground, the space benefits from stable temperatures, while slender openings in the ceiling allow faint natural light to filter through, creating a dynamic interplay of shadow and illumination. This meticulous orchestration of space, material, and environmental elements immerses visitors in an experience that transcends function, capturing the essence of winemaking through an architectural lens.
All images courtesy of JSPA Design, shared with permission
