Design Challenge

To create a new winemaking and hospitality facility on a small residential site that holds sentimental value—it was once the childhood home of one of the owners. The design needed to balance the functional demands of wine production with the welcoming charm of a tasting space, all while respecting the intimate scale of the site.

Physical Context

The project is located in the heart of Calistoga, California, just south of Main Street along the iconic Highway 29. The compact site presented challenges, with limited buildable space due to natural features and tight property line setbacks.

Solution

The design adopts a "California barn" aesthetic with modern touches, arranged as a campus of smaller buildings that blend with the neighborhood scale. Pre-engineered steel was used for the production buildings to streamline construction and minimize waste, while the tasting building—a more detailed, jewel-box structure—was conventionally wood-framed. Positioned as the courtyard’s focal point, the tasting building creates a welcoming space that balances functionality with hospitality, honoring the site’s history and charm.

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