Location: Bordeaux, France.

Architect: XTU architects.

La Cité du Vin is an iconic building designed by XTU Architects to create a link between the building and the spaces surrounding it through perpetual movement. The building’s facade is made up of silk-screen printed glass panels and perforated, iridescent, lacquered aluminium panels. The building’s two entrances on either side create an impression of movement, ebb and flow between inside and outside. The main tour follows these flows, with visitors becoming voyagers flowing around the central staircase. The ground floor is raw as an immersion stage diving into the project, a crossing point. La Cité du Vin is a destination that pays tribute to wine civilisations and follows a sustainable development approach. The architecture is designed to encourage visitors to move upwards towards the light, and the wooded arch of the permanent tour is like a varied sky. 70% of the energy needs are covered by local and green energy sources, and the roof is protected from the sun by a ventilated shade and geothermal energy. Visitors are in a discovery mind-set initiated by the architecture, which creates the right conditions for them to discover and complete this immersive journey.

Photo credit: XTU/Anaka/La Cité du Vin.