In wine production, the process of developing a vintage starts with the grape. Opportunities to manipulate minute variations in color, bouquet and acidity throughout the growth period ultimately affect the final product. The generative process of the Suisun Valley Winery project paralleled this process: if you can manipulate a grape to create the best wine possible why not manipulate the sitting, forms, and detailing of a structure to create the best experience possible for a visitor?
The premise of the project is to manipulate visitor’s experience of the winery. An over-scaled entry ramp is the primary organizational tool, offering glimpses of the winemaking process and elevating perception beyond the typical ground plane view. Programmatically the structure is utilitarian with warehouse and offices on the first floor and a tasting room and informal indoor/outdoor gathering spaces on the second. Proposed materials include poured-in-place concrete and wood – utilitarian materials that reinforce the simplicity of the building. Experienced with or without a guide or tour, these views into the winery are important visual milestones in the Suisun facility.