Why do we visit wineries? What is it we are after that we can’t get by enjoying a bottle at home or in a restaraunt? Given the relative uniformity of the process and program from one winery to the next, Why would we visit more than one? How does the design of a winery shape our understanding and experience of the wine? What narratives have grown up around the wine tasting ritual, and how have they been facilitated by the architecture of the winery?

The winery, with its dual nature as both a retailer and a production facility, is a complex typology with a rich history, well defined processes, rituals and ideals. This studio addresses these questions and then askes students to take a position with regard to each of them as a way of defining design intentions for a 5000 case winery in the Russian River American Viticultural Area of northern California. The students use their understanding of the client, site, program and are then asked to either confirm, through their own design, one of the existing narratives that surround the winery experience, or else formulate an alternative position, and then design a winery around that.

The class travels to the site in California where we visit several precedents, and make repeat visits to the site itself. At the site, they meet with the clients, and have an opportunity to ask them questions about their estate, winemaking ideals, and desired for the new winery. For most of these students this is their first time interacting directly with a client, and represents a new challenge to them. This immersive exposure also teaches them to grapple with contextual issues at a level that they would otherwise not be aware of through site photos, maps, and weather data. They use this information to make more informed decisions with regard to siting of course, but also in defining the user experience they intend to realize, and even later in the semester to make decisions regarding building construction and performance.

“Building Terroir in Idaho: Hat Ranch Winery”.

Lawrence, Scott.

Conference Paper and Presentation.

11th International Conference on the Constructed Environment - Calgary, AB / Virtual.

2021

Much of the underlying research into winery architecture outlined in the first part of this paper was completed while developing this studio.