Vergelegen Winery | Jean de Gastines Architectes

Associate architect: Patrick Dillon, William Peace and Low

- Located 70 km southeast of Cape Town South Africa, the agricultural property of Vergelegen spreads across 400 hectares surrounded by mountains on one side and the Atlantic ocean on the other side.

The vineyard was created at the same time as the project. It is a rare privilege for an architect to have the opportunity to choose the site on which he is going to build, and we loved having this opportunity.

The building is a hexagonal plan, four stories in height. Three quarters of the project is underground. The fermenting room and the wine cellar are located in the underground part of the building.

The wine testing area, the shop and the administration areas are arranged at the periphery of the hexagon with a 360° view of the surrounding landscape and a view into the double-height volume of the fermenting room.

Access for farm vehicles is provided at the lower level, the access of the administrative personnel is provided at mid-level, and the access for the visitors is provided through a footbridge via the roof terrace which has been designed with a pond that reflects the mountains. The parking is located at the top of the hill, hidden by a grove of trees. As a result, the unveiling and discovery of the building takes place from above.