Located in the center of the Château La Coste estate, the Art Center marks the entrance to the artistic and landscaped development created on the site.
Designed by Tadao Ando, the project consists of a vast body of water in the shape of a vineyard plot, the southern edge of which is aligned with the existing access road.
The building, drawn perpendicular to this straight line, appears to float like a pavilion on the water. Colonnade and walls support a long canopy roof, which forms a portico entrance and marks the new regulating axis.
The building provides a continuous space between two wings arranged at a 45-degree angle, one housing a reception hall and a small art bookshop, the other a café which extends into a covered terrace.
The visitors’ car park is placed under the pool. This semi-subterranean space is the result of the project’s adaptation to the natural topography, thus avoiding any impact on the site.
The choice of these geometries creates a very stimulating relationship between the landscape, the architecture, and the sculpture park.