Shan-shui, permanence and transformation. Whisky distillery in Chuan

The ancient Chinese tradition always embodies in a poetic way the principles that govern reality. In the project of the whisky distillery in Chuan, the innovation of the Pernod Ricard brand, with its first facility in China, is combined with the celebration of the stories that have permeated the Mount Emei region for over a thousand years

Architecture becomes powerful through humility

The Neri&Hu studio wins the architecture projects competition for the whisky distillery in Chuan by creating a space that is articulated and highly symbolic. Mount Emei has been recognized as a UNESCO heritage site since '96, and the void left by the past that no longer exists, made up of a large monastery and echoes of battles, markets, and passing pilgrims, captivates any visitor. Following this principle of polarity, the architecture chosen for the new production complex becomes powerful through humility and simplicity

A new organism harmoniously dual

Along the same line, the term Shan-shui defines this timeless architecture: mountain and water, strength-permanence and fluidity-transformation coexist in this new organism harmoniously dual with spaces for whisky processing that reinterpret Chinese vernacular architecture and buildings for visitors that embody the essential geometries of the circle and square. These two forms symbolize heaven and earth, once again bringing the principle of complementary polarities

The ancient symbolism of the circle and the square

The production facilities are housed in three elongated buildings, parallel to each other and integrated into the slope of the terrain. The pitched roofs with clay tiles evoke humble traditional constructions and, in contrast, rest on concrete and steel. A contemporary aesthetic instead brings the ancient symbolism of the circle and the square into the buildings for visitors: the restaurant and bar in the "earth" building, square, cantilevered over the stream; the circular volume where tasting takes place, concealing in its center a courtyard with a waterfall pouring from the concentric hole in the roof

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neri&hu architects

322 Jiao Zhou Road, Jing'an District, Shanghai City, China 200071