WallPaper 1

Since 2002, Château La Coste has combined

winemaking, art and architecture across

its 600-acre Provençal estate, which houses

artworks by the likes of Louise Bourgeois

and Alexander Calder, and structures by

architects such as Jean Nouvel and Frank

Gehry (see W*214). Its latest commission is a

pavilion by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma.

Artists and architects invited to contribute

to Château La Coste’s impressive collection

are asked to draw inspiration from the

countryside of Provence, and Kuma has

delivered. His design takes its cues from the

region’s renowned light, which has inspired

artists from Cézanne to Picasso. Kuma

named his piece Komorebi, a Japanese word

describing sunlight filtering through trees,

which he represented with an asymmetric

grid of Brazilian wood beams. Offering

no protection from the elements but instead

allowing for a connection with the natural

surroundings, it is far from your typical

shelter. Perched on a hill overlooking the

Luberon valley, Kuma’s pavilion is a truly

sculptural object in conversation with the

landscape around it. ∂ chateau-la-coste.com

OFF GR ID

Kengo Kuma’s asymmetric canopy for Château La Coste

PHOTOGRAPHY: JAMES REEVE WRITER: ROSA BERTOLI

KUMA’S PAVILION COMPRISES

239 BEAMS OF VARIOUS

LENGTHS, WITH THE LONGEST

MEASURING 11.5M. THE HUGE

OVERHANG IS SUPPORTED BY

1,500KG OF STAINLESS STEEL,

AND THE STRUCTURE IS HELD

TOGETHER BY 16,000 SCREWS

AND 1,300 BOLTED JOINTS

088 ∑