Austrian architects Elmar Ludescher and Philip Lutz have created a modern winery to embody the ‘fine art of wine production in the abstract’.

The new winery at the 50-year-old Högl family vineyard in Lower Austria will house some of the winemaking processes and give visitors a space to sample the wines.

The seven hectare vineyard, which produces dry and sweet white wines, sits on the border of the Wachau UNESCO heritage site.

Bregenz-based Lutz say they designed the building using historic regional materials to integrate visually and culturally into the Wachau area. The vineyard itself is characterised by steep terraces and dry stone walls.

The new house has thick plastered walls, reflecting regional craft tradition. White wooden slats cover the glass windows and inside, wide spaces and wooden furniture create an indoor-courtyard effect.

Lutz adds that the roof is a contemporary version of a classic style that is traditionally used in the region.

He said: “Only at second glance it becomes clear that this is an alienated sculptural building that houses the fine art of wine production in the abstract.”