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Provence’s Château La Coste, long home to an organic winery and an esteemed art and park, is now opening a new luxury hotel overlooking the 600-acre estate. MARVEL

BY ALICE CAVANAGH PHOTOGRAPHY BY FREDERIK VERCRUYSSE

’M PROBABLY THE MOST frustrated architect or feature a library, bar and restaurant helmed by French Each private villa has a similar view, along with a artist: I can’t draw a straight line—I leave that chef Gérald Passédat, who also owns the Michelin- floor plan—up to 3,000 square feet—that includes a to the experts,” says 60-year-old Irish prop- starred restaurant Le Petit Nice in Marseille, has a walled-in courtyard. The guest-room décor is mini- erty magnate Patrick (Paddy) McKillen, whose clean, angular design that contrasts with the area’s malist but warm, with four-post beds, breezy white Isizable portfolio includes interests in five-star rambling bastides. “I didn’t want to create something canopies, Scandinavian-style shelving and works hotels, such as The Connaught, The Berkeley ‘old world,’” McKillen says. “We wanted to be con- by artists from Bernard Frize to Hiroshi Sugimoto. and Claridge’s in London, as well as numerous office temporary but rustic.” McKillen acquired each piece specifically for the site: and retail locations across the United Kingdom, the McKillen not only conceptualized the design of “I’ve never bought art for investment reasons, never and Ireland. the hotel, alongside his in-house architects and the in my life,” he says. “There’s nothing worse than keep- For his most personal project to date, Château Marseille-based architect Christopher Green, but ing something in a cardboard carton in a basement.” La Coste, a 600-acre estate in the heart of Provence, also curated the art that hangs on its walls. The One of nine children, McKillen grew up in Belfast McKillen called on a monumental list of expert archi- wall behind the check-in desk features sketches by and now divides his time between , tects (many of whom he counts as close friends). Swiss sculptor and painter Alberto Giacometti; a London, and Provence (as a rule he travels light, Frank Gehry, , , Richard Damien Hirst piece, from his series of psychedelic with just a passport and credit card in his pocket). His Rogers and —the Pritzker Prize–winning spin paintings, hangs opposite Sean Scully’s Robe father was a metalworker whose workshop expanded list goes on—have all contributed to the property. Red Red canvas. On another wall, pages from Louise into a family construction business that eventually First acquired by McKillen in 2002, Château La Bourgeois’s embroidered fabric book Ode à la Bièvre led to Paddy’s career of acquiring and building prop- Coste, which features an organic winery and art are mounted in a gridlike formation above a wooden erties. Art (particularly sculpture and sketches) and and architecture park with works by 26 architects Charlotte Perriand table. The lobby’s centerpiece is a architecture, however, have long interested him. “I and artists, opened to the public in 2011. This sum- banquet-size wooden table by Nouvel with a polished just love being around artists,” he says, pointing out mer, after planning for more than a decade, McKillen stainless-steel sculpture by Tom Shannon on top. The that he’s always eschewed art fairs in favor of dealing will launch Villa La Coste, a luxury hotel on the site. room’s mix of materials—cool stone floors, walnut directly with artists. “If you asked me what would be The elegant stone structure overlooks the property’s wooden doors and the striking spider marble used for Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Vermentino the bar—serves as a sleek backdrop to the expansive CONCRETE DREAMS vineyards and includes 28 villas, some with their view of the Luberon Valley, visible through floor-to- Château La Coste’s Art Centre (2011), designed by own private plunge pools. The new hotel, which will ceiling sliding-glass doors. Pritzker Prize–winning architect Tadao Ando.

188 189 my best Saturday afternoon, it would be to spend it in Ai Weiwei and Tony Berlant, that are partially con- an artist’s studio.” structed or in the works, and every one is intended McKillen discovered Château La Coste with for a particular location. McKillen collaborates on the help of his older sister, Mara, who has lived in the specific site with every artist or architect—each Provence since 1990. During annual holidays in the of whom usually takes time to scope out the property area with his family, McKillen became enamored with in advance. “It’s not simply a collection of names; it’s BY DESIGN it—and with the idea of owning a vineyard. When he about what each person brings to this experience,” Clockwise from left: purchased the historic family-owned estate and win- The Art Centre frames says Hong Kong–based architect André Fu, who has ery, he was determined to produce one of the region’s ’s visited the property several times and has designed finest organic wines. After recruiting oenologist Small Crinkly; sketches the bar and library at Villa La Coste as well as a by Swiss sculptor Matthieu Cosse, Château La Coste, which has a 340- and painter Alberto 12-room spa that will open at the end of the year. acre vineyard, gained organic status in 2009 and has Giacometti in Villa La “We can’t just plonk them about,” McKillen says of since gone one step further by turning to biodynamic Coste’s foyer; the estate’s the placement of the commissioned pieces. “The last vegetable garden, practices. Today, McKillen produces several organic designed by landscape structures on the land were built by the Romans, so I white and red wines, as well as some of the region’s designer Louis Benech; a was very careful to respect every tree, every blade of most popular rosés. guest bedroom in one of grass and every herb.” the new hotel’s 28 villas. In the mid-2000s, when McKillen needed a new Directly across from the Art Centre, the vineyards building for his state-of-the-art winemaking equip- frame Frank Gehry’s Pavillon de Musique, a large

ment, he turned to Nouvel—a renowned French , 2003, © THE wooden and glass structure originally commissioned architect whom he’d met through his friend, Parisian , 2009, 4 METERS LAND ART for the in London but funded by

art dealer Patrick Seguin—to design the estate’s chai à DROP Clockwise from above: and intended for Château La Coste. McKillen seeks to vinification, which also includes a cellar for wine stor- Sean Scully’s Wall remind visitors of the vines at every possible moment: of Light Cubed; the age. The two Nouvel-designed cylindrical structures, property’s 340-acre “We don’t want people to forget why they are there: completed in 2008 and connected underground, are SPIDER CROUCHING vineyard, with a mix of The grapes are the real art at La Coste,” he says. located near the estate’s main cluster of buildings— red and white grapes, The parklands on the property are protected, so including Sauvignon known as the Village, which includes the historic Blanc, Chardonnay, there is an arduous approval process, overseen by bastide (where Paddy’s parents now reside) and a wine Syrah and Grenache; the the local mayor’s office, to build there. Currently TE/LICENSED AND ARS, BY VAGA NEW YORK, NY shop. (An underground chai à barrique by Nouvel, spe- Tadao Ando–designed plans for works by architects including Renzo Piano, Art Centre; a guest cifically for barrel storage, is currently in the works.) bathroom with the line and the late Brazilian architect After commissioning Nouvel, McKillen began of toiletries that are being evaluated; however, the inviting other architects and various artists to create McKillen is developing first stone of Ai’s installation that’s in development for Villa La Coste. site-specific works on the property. The first com- has just been laid. “There’s no mad rush; there’s no missioned artists included Sean Scully, who built deadline,” McKillen says. “We never want this proj- a stacked stone sculpture in 2007; , ect to end.” who created three steel sheets in 2008 that sit in Self-guided tours of the estate, which cover around the Provençal hillside; and the British sculptor and three miles and last about two hours, are available environmentalist Andy Goldsworthy, whose dome- seven days a week. The path discreetly leads visitors like, underground Oak Room, built in 2009, is located “WE DON’T WANT PEOPLE TO to each of the installations—most of which are free of beneath one of the original Roman dry-stone walls, FORGET WHY THEY ARE signposts. “We want people to come across the pieces known locally as restanques. almost by accident—that leaves a lasting memory,” McKillen also recruited Japanese architect Tadao THERE: THE GRAPES ARE McKillen says. Ando to design a structure that could frame one of his THE REAL ART AT LA COSTE.” This approach is appealing to many of the art- most important acquisitions at that point—a Louise VIEW FROM THE TOP , 2007, © THE EASTON FOUNDATION, NEW LICENSED YORK, TOM BY VAGA, NY; SHANNON, ists and architects whose work is featured on the —PATRICK MCKILLEN Bourgeois Crouching Spider, the first in an edition of Clockwise from far left: property. “An encounter is exactly what I want to The Luberon Valley as six and the only one in France. “They were nearly all seen from a guest villa; create—from the material that I choose and for the pre-sold to , and she only agreed to sell it to the daily bread delivery visitors as well,” says Korean artist Lee Ufan, who ODE À LA BIÈVRE me because I came up with the idea of putting it on for the Art Centre’s , 2007, GRANITE, 65 X 26 CHÂTEAU X 13FT, LA COSTE, PROVENCE, FRANCE; , has both a temporary exhibition (ending September restaurant; Frank water,” McKillen says. Ando designed the Art Centre Gehry’s Pavillon de 24), as part of the estate’s revolving art program, and to appear as though it is sitting on a pool of water, in Musique; the property’s permanent work at Château La Coste. House of Air, the middle of which is Bourgeois’s masterpiece. “The original bastide, where Ufan’s permanent piece, is a small, hilltop stone hut, McKillen’s parents live. installation was really Paddy’s thing—we trusted in which his minimalist paintings have been applied him,” says Jerry Gorovoy, the late Bourgeois’s long- directly onto the walls. “For me the surrounding WALL OF LIGHT CUBED LIGHT OF WALL time assistant and friend. “He doesn’t miss a beat. He space has as much importance as the object,” says is quite aware of what’s going on and sensitive to all Ufan. “I wanted people to feel the atmosphere as the details.” much as my artwork.” An Alexander Calder piece, which Alexander S.C. Although Château La Coste is often associated Rower, the artist’s grandson, helped carefully repair, with its popular rosé, international visitors are typi- was placed with Ando’s guidance in the water on the cally introduced to its art and architectural park by opposite side of the Art Centre. The building, which word of mouth, as McKillen doesn’t advertise or work functions as a welcome center, also has a restaurant FIELD OF DREAMS with a publicist. “Paddy’s an extraordinarily self- that serves local, seasonal food—much of it from the Clockwise from above: effacing person,” says Sean Scully, who has several Louise Bourgeois’s on-site vegetable garden—and a gift shop that offers works of art on the estate. “He is very deferential to , 1976, 360CM X 395CM, © 2016 CALDER FOUNDATION, NEW YORK/ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK; ART © ALBERTO GIACOMETTI ESTA Crouching Spider, the art, architecture and design books and a small selec- only one in France; the artists—everything is in their favor. I think one tion of limited-edition prints. Tom Shannon’s Drop; day, in the future, his place is going to be like a Medici Bourgeois’s Ode à la In addition to the 26 current works dotted about Bièvre, above a Charlotte house—it’s going to be equal to what you see when SMALL CRINKLY STEEL STAINLESS DIAMETER, EASTON FOUNDATION, NEW LICENSED YORK, LOUISE BY VAGA, NY; BOURGEOIS, the estate, there are 15 or so pieces, by artists like GEHRY PARTNERS, 2008; MUSIC SEAN PAVILION, SCULLY, Perriand wooden table. you go to Italy now.” š

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