Labin Wine Cellar in Beijing

This wine house in Beijing is firstly a cultural space but also a work-space available for surrounding companies to use. Functions include exhibition space, offices, meeting rooms, wine cellars, tasting rooms and salons. The building is organized around three water gardens and a stone well that serves each level.

The materials used must be healthy for the preservation of the wine and the purity of the atmosphere; limestone, marbled lime, wood and steel. Light has an important role in the project, coming from the top of the building at the junction between the walls and roof, in order to limit the opening of the bays directly onto the street.

We realized a complete mission for this project, including renovation of the existing architecture, design of the new wings, interior design, furniture and lighting design. In order to deliver the most tailor-made creation we invited mason artisans, Italian plasterers, a cabinetmaker, a glassmaker, a blacksmith, the lacquerer artisan Gwen de Kergomaux, and the Belgian artist Gille Delhaye. These artists and artisans together added an international dimension to the project.

Each material is selected for its relation to wine and to vineyards; limestone rock and stucco for vineyard minerals, glass for the wine bottles, light and range of wine colours, oak wood for wine barrels and vanilla flavours and wrought iron for the barrel strappings.