Design Challenge:
To create a modern winemaking facility on a historic winery site, providing spaces for fermentation, barrel storage, wine tasting, and hospitality. The design had to stay within the existing building footprint to maintain the established winery use permit.
Physical Context:
Located in the heart of Glen Ellen, California, the historic site is surrounded by rural landscapes and a quiet residential neighborhood, offering a sense of seclusion and privacy.
Solution:
The Lasseter Family Winery is thoughtfully integrated into its surroundings, drawing inspiration from early Northern California barn architecture. The design features contemporary metal board-and-batten siding, echoing the aesthetic of nearby structures on the property. The winemaking facility is located on the building’s lower level, allowing visitors in the tasting area above to overlook and connect with the production process below, creating a seamless blend of functionality and hospitality.