Williams Selyem Headquarters

Site & Program

In order to maximize the site's harvestable area and potential views over the Russian River Valley, the new winery structure had to first conquer the site's topography & physical constraints - the Litton Estate site, arguably one of the most beautiful sites in the area, is characterized for its dramatically steeped rolling hills.

Project Sequence

The three distinct populations that currently use the facility - production employees, administrative staff and visitors are all separated and joined by the building's sectional organization. Visitors enter the administration building at the east lower level and proceed sequentially through hospitality areas, the production floor and then up to the roof terrace and ultimately the wine tasting pavilion - this museum/gallery sequence was designed to allow all visitors to learn about the history of Williams Selyem before embarking on a tour that will expose them to the technical aspects as well as the artistry of the wine making process - all before tasting the final product atop the Tasting Pavilion Terrace while enjoying 180 degree views of beautiful Russian River Valley. The employees enter via the west end of the roof terrace and directly into the second level of the administration building; the green roof terrace being the primary common ground for all of the building's users.

This structure's front facade is entirely composed of a leaning curtain wall and a twenty-foot high wine "barrel wall" - both, creating a dramatic and on-brand gateway to the Williams Selyem winery. The building's hospitality lobby, which sits beyond the building's entry, is internally defined by an equally expansive "bottle wall", while offering picture-framed views of the underside of the barrel vault structure through an opening on the second floor slab.

The Tasting Pavilion (Phase II), the last piece on the winery's gallery sequence, was conceptualized as a vertical deconstructed wine barrel.

Sustainability & Landscape

The owner-design team commitment to preserving and enhancing the natural features of the site led to the complimentary idea of incorporating many other sustainable features into the design. The production building's "half buried" configuration, green roof and 13" thick insulated concrete panels cast on-site all contribute to a highly energy efficient structure. The administration building incorporates extensive clerestory windows (resulting in a reduced demand for electric lighting), doors made with old reused wine barrel staves, local fieldstone, highly efficient low-e glazing, exterior shading of windows, extensive use of low-emitting materials / paint as well as a metal roof that mitigates the heating effect of the building on the site's habitat. Photovoltaic arrays on the production building mechanical penthouse roof and at the employee parking lot generate electricity and hot water on-site.