Conversion of the former abattoirs in Pauillac into the headquarters of a wine merchant
The Abattoirs site, where the future headquarters of Louis Vialard will be built, has been part of the heritage landscape of the town of Pauillac since 1863, the year construction work began.
Its heritage value has already been identified.
As a popular heritage site, it bears witness to the social history of the town at the end of the 19th century, with the construction of new facilities to bring together butchers and pork butchers and put an end to the domestic and private slaughtering practised at the time. As part of the town's urban and architectural heritage, it bears witness to the characteristic buildings of the late 19th century, just like the buildings that sprang up in the town centre at the same time as the town's industrial activity.
However, its use has evolved over the decades as a result of the end of this activity. Our approach today is to work on the conservation and enhancement of the surrounding architectural and natural heritage, but also to assess its adaptability and propose a project for transforming the buildings and outdoor spaces to suit its new function as the headquarters of the Louis Vialard company, known as 'Villa de l’Estuaire'.
Situated to the south of the town centre and port area of Pauillac, the site is an integral part of the urban facade overlooking the estuary. Its privileged location makes it a link between town and nature, between the nearby urban landscape and the distant natural landscape. On the west façade, the porch opens onto the town, onto the houses lining Rue de la Rivière. On the east facade, the central body faces towards the Estuary, towards the wider landscape. If you look up, you can see the island of Patiras and its lighthouse in the distance.
The complex comprises four separate buildings arranged around a central mineral courtyard
and enclosed by a stone wall. The Porch is the historic entrance to the site, with its stone arch and steel gate restored and preserved as part of the redevelopment project. On either side of the courtyard stand the two side stone annexes, also almost symmetrical, accompanying the view towards the central building, detached from the perimeter wall in the middle of the site opposite the entrance porch.
Since its construction, the site has functioned as a closed complex, both optically and physically. It forms a visual barrier to the Estuary from Rue de la Rivière. The buildings are only accessible from inside the courtyard. There are currently only two openings on the urban façade, in the porch and the side gate. The whole complex is very mineral. The stone facades of the four buildings contrast with the light-coloured gravel covering the courtyard floor. Only two planted areas have been preserved.
