agricultural hall of the grand-brulé, leytron, project

project owner:

state property and heritage service of the canton of valais

collaborators:

marc evequoz, christian lamon, lionel ballmer

programme:

vehicle storage building, offices, conference room, cloakrooms and frost-free storage room

dates:

implementation 2021

sia volume 416:

1900 m3

civil engineering:

sd ingénierie sion

classification and organisation

the building is located in the centre of the vineyard and follows the orientation of the rows of vines. its simple design is adapted to the functional needs of the estate. access is entirely on the north side of the building, while a sole window on the south side provides a view of the lower half of the estate along with the rhône and the alps.

the majority of the constructed area remains temperate to house the vehicles and equipment used for the wine-making business, while the staff quarters are grouped together in the southern part, all on a single level.

materials

the timber point framing is accentuated in the main space.

simple, unpretentious osb panels perform the function of infilling, partitioning and cladding in each room.

as a reference to the history and the name of the property, the exterior burnt wood facade is reminiscent of the lofts with their sun-weathered timbers.

this processing is simple and natural. it protects the wood against attack by pests and makes it rot-proof. in some countries like Japan, this technique has been used for centuries to extend the lifespan of facades (the shou-sugi-ban technique).

the cladding, which is made up of different sections, creates a slight movement in the exterior siding that anchors the building into this environment that is at once natural and man-made.