A 106-year old winery in South Australia’s McLaren Vale features an award-winning, cube-shaped building inspired by the complexities and puzzles of winemaking.

As a founding member of Australia’s First Families of Wine, the Osborn family has tended its d’Arenberg vineyards since 1912.

Today, the winery is run by fourth generation family member and Chief Winemaker Chester Osborn, who took over the reins from his father d’Arry in 1984. Chester is renowned for his colourful personality and the distinctive, award-winning wines he produces using traditional methods.

As one of South Australia’s most iconic wineries, d’Arenberg has always been a popular tourist destination – just a 45 minute drive south of Adelaide – but was in need of expansion to cater for growing numbers of visitors.

In 2003, Chester created the concept of a cube-shaped building inspired by the popular Rubik’s Cube puzzle to house a new cellar door. But so complex was the building’s form that it took more than a decade before construction of the $15 million building commenced in late 2014.

Sarah Constructions was appointed as the managing contractor on the ambitious project. They were joined by a design team consisting of ADS Architects, CPR Engineers, mechanical services engineers BESTEC and Osborn himself.

The building’s mechanical services systems feature a range of Fantech products specified by BESTEC. These include Fantech’s in-line mixed-flow fans, axial fans for kitchen exhaust and a number of ceiling mounted fans. Fantech also supplied Q-Seal rectangular attenuators to reduce fan and system noise.

Perched above the vineyards, the d’Arenberg Cube was officially opened by the Osborn family in December 2017. Its striking façade features tempered double glazing across all five levels – the top two are at a 45o angle from those below to resemble the puzzle in rotation. The top floor houses d’Arenberg’s new cellar door and bar that take in panoramic views of the region, while the third floor is home to an award-winning restaurant offering degustation dining. The ground floor features the Alternative Realities Museum, which includes a wine sensory room, a virtual fermenter, a 360° video room and other tactile experiences for visitors to enjoy.

As well as attracting thousands of visitors each month, the d’Arenberg Cube has been recognised with numerous awards, including the prestigious Good Design Award 2018 and more recently, the International Best of Wine Tourism Award.