Expanded metal and wire mesh are Fratelli Mariani’s top quality products, used in prestigious architectural and industrial projects all over the world.

Among them, in a beautiful rural setting stands the building at the Château Gruaud Larose in Saint-Julien-Beychelle, in the Médoc.

Next to a historical monument of the first half of the eighteenth century, Fratelli Mariani collaborated on the construction site of a prestigious contemporary work, selected for 2016 Archdaily building of the year, the famous website dedicated to architecture. This notorious location is linked to the famous wine Saint-Julien AOC, elected second Grand Cru according to the classification of Bordeaux, dating back to 1855.

For the impressive structure, Fratelli Mariani used the Maracana mesh in polished AISI 316L stainless steel, with two-sided poly mirror 8 finish. This type of expanded metal is particularly suitable for continuous and ventilated façades, as in the case of the Gruaud Larose Castle tower.

The construction consists of a wine tasting centre and a belvedere, next to the castle with:

• a 21-meter high tower
• an extension to the tower base of 46 x 9 meters.

The owners of the residence commissioned the construction of these bodies to the Lanoire & Courrian architecture firm with the aim of reinventing the space previously occupied by the old tower of the castle. The aim of the construction was to take inspiration from tradition, from the past, and overwhelm both with the innovation introduced by a contemporary, urban style, in apparent contrast to the natural vinicultural environment.

In this way, on the ground floor there is a reception area with plate glass windows that overlook the park on one side and the vineyards on the other ones. Its roof is a sort of pedestal of the tower, whose two staircases give access to its top, a breathtaking observation platform. From here visitors can enjoy a 360-degree view of the surrounding area, where the building becomes a harmonious whole with nature, appreciable especially in the evening, when the lighted tower looks like a bright lighthouse in the middle of a sea of vineyards.

Therefore, Château Gruaud Larose is an example of international, ambitious and successful architectural project, with Fratelli Mariani as a protagonist, in partnership with other leading local companies.

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