Design Challenge:

‍To design a modern winemaking facility that integrates hospitality, production, and administrative spaces within a single property. 

Physical Context:

‍Set on a hillside vineyard in rural Sebastopol, the site offers sweeping 180-degree views of Sonoma County’s iconic mountain ranges, including Mount Saint Helena, Bennett Mountain, the Mayacamas Mountains, and Geysers Peak.

Solution:

‍The design takes advantage of the natural hillside, organizing the campus to separate functions efficiently. Hospitality spaces are positioned at the high point of the site to maximize the panoramic views, while production facilities are tucked into the lower hillside. The pre-engineered steel production buildings benefit from natural earth insulation, enhancing cooling for processing and barrel storage. The classic California barn aesthetic of the production buildings contrasts beautifully with the tasting building, a modern, monolithic form with custom dark plaster walls, a high parapet, and a flat roof—offering a striking, almost Barragán-esque presence within the vineyard landscape.

Details:

‍Project completed by Jessie Whitesides, NCARB, Architect, while at Backen Gillam Architects

‍