Martell is turning a bottling factory in Cognac into a cultural foundation

Top brandy producers Martell are breathing new life into a former bottling facility on home ground in Cognac, France. To be christened the Fondation d’Entreprise Martell, the modernist building will house a cultural programme focusing on design, architecture, technology, art and crafts.

CEO of Martell Mumm Perrier-Jouet, Cesar Giron, said: “(By) creating a corporate foundation in the heart of its territory, Martell wants to embrace its local roots and a new challenge: to carry forward culture, the arts and knowledge while sharing our values of excellence, generosity and friendliness with a large audience, in France and abroad."

Detailed information will later be available on the website (currently only in French) - but in the meantime, the Gatebourse building will play host to a special artwork by French artist Vincent Lamouroux.

The piece is composed using glass, sand, wood and plants - the constituents used in producing a Martell Cognac bottle. The exhibition will be up till the end of January 2017.

The remaining sections of the foundation are expected to be opened beginning early 2018, with a completion date set for 2021.