Wine Store in Vauvert, France

The building is subject to the Mediterranean climate of the Camargue. To offset extreme differences of temperature, which would be problematic for the storage of wine, the structure was designed with a great thermal mass. The solid external walls are 52 cm thick and built with limestone blocks, weighing up to 2.5 tonnes each. The dry-laid masonry absorbs heat during the day and gives it off at night to the fresh sea breezes. The heavy, planted roof is also conceived as a climatic buffer. The evaporation of rainwater in the soil serves to cool the building – as does the water in the pool around the wine store. The high costs of the stone were offset by the simple, archaic structure and the short period of construction, which amounted to only a month.