Food Drink

d’Arenberg Cube Unveils Latest Rooftop Feature

Not long now until the d’Arenberg Cube opens and it’s shaping up to be the coolest summer destination in McLaren Vale.

With summer literally right around the corner we are more excited than ever about the official opening of the d’Arenberg Cube.
If you haven’t seen our previous posts on this mammoth project from d’Arenberg winery allow us to quickly fill you in. The d’Arenberg Cube is a five story multi-function building that sits amongst the renowned d’Arenberg vines with jaw-dropping views and food and wine offerings to match. Set to open this summer, the cube will feature sleek new new tasting rooms, several bars, and a second restaurant run by head chef Brendan Wessels. Basically the team behind the cube promise to deliver a sensory explosion like no other and we for one cannot wait to our love for fine food and wine to new heights with d’Arenberg this summer.
In an update yesterday d’Arenberg revealed one of its many impressive external features to be the addition of 16 rooftop umbrellas, designed to provide some much-needed shade from the warm McLaren Vale sun. Check out the video below!
Spanning almost the entire surface area of the glass roof the umbrellas, 15 black and one red, are operated using mechanical arms that lift each of them in a choreographed sequence of movement. Fourth generation family member and Chief Winemaker, Chester Osborn, who had the idea to build the d’Arenberg Cube over 13 years ago, notes that each umbrella is angled to shade the clear glass areas.

“The umbrellas are being installed to shelter the building from the sun beaming through the clear glass roof,” Osborn said.

“Due to building regulations, no more that 5% skylight is permitted, and so I needed to meet regulations, while also having a bit of fun, in true d’Arenberg style.”

The umbrellas will open when the solar heat gain puts pressure on the internal air conditioning. They are manually operated to expand and retract and can also withstand winds of up to 130kms per hour.

This is the first time in the world a building has umbrellas on the roof to shade the building itself, and not a deck or grassed area.

Osborn has worked tirelessly on the interior fit out, filling the building with wall to wall artwork, a wine inhalation room, two virtual fermenters, and a plethora of sensory experiences designed to entice and excite the senses.

A time lapse camera has also been installed on the property by Logic Films, capturing the building progress.

Check out the video here

d’Arenberg is located at 58 Osborn Rd, McLaren Vale

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