Journal: Wine Cellar in Margaux
The new winery building in the Chateau Margaux vineyard not far from Bordeaux comprises a light steel construction with tree-like columns that span across a central hall. The filigree welded steel construction is based on a design by Foster + Partners. The „organic“ nodes connect the hollow „trunks“ with the I-shaped steel profiles of the „branches“. The challenge was not only to manufacture the individually curved panels of differing thickness, but also to ensure their feasibility in terms of welding technology (ill. A). The entire structure was pre-assembled upside down in a workshop in the Czech city of Pilsen (ill. C) and provisionally spot welded, sanded by use of stencils and milled, and finally spackled and sealed (ill. B). Afterwards, the steel workers disassembled the entire structure into smaller elements that were transported to Margaux by truck (ill. D). Here, the elements were permanently welded together, the welding seams were treated and the entire construction received a finishing coating.
