A fine blend of history and innovation

Hall Winery

St. Helena, CA, USA

The historic Hall Winery sits in a picturesque valley on an eight acre site in Northern California’s Napa Valley. The client sought to create an unrivalled destination to showcase their selection of fine wines through the construction of a new state of the art visitor center and the renovation of an existing historic building to provide an event space. The new visitor’s center features wine tasting, food and wine education, tours, landscaped gardens and an extensive art collection.

Over 42,000ft² of solar panels span the winery roofs, providing more than 35% of the energy needed to power the entire complex

10% of materials used in the building’s construction were sourced locally

First winery in California to be distinguished as a LEED Gold certified facility

Challenge

The dramatic floor to ceiling windows in the new tasting room posed a unique challenge as they were meant to constitute an important part of the winery experience, connecting visitors with the land by affording uninterrupted views of the surrounding countryside. Our structural engineering experts were brought in to provide the expertise necessary to achieve this vital design element.

Solution

Our specialist team developed an innovative structural solution to realize the floor to ceiling glass design and avoid a highly visible structural system. The resulting curtain of transparent, low iron structural glazing is both stunning and dynamic, creating a strong link between interior and exterior spaces. Due to the project’s location in a high seismic zone we also ensured that the structure is not vulnerable to natural hazards.

Value

Both the visitor’s center and the newly renovated Peterson Bergfeld building demonstrate a strong commitment to the environment. Over 42,000ft² of solar panels span the winery roofs, providing more than 35% of the energy needed to power the entire complex. Additionally, more than 10% of the materials used to build the facility were sourced from within 500 miles of the project site and approximately 10% were made with recycled content. As a result of these and a variety of other energy saving measures, Hall Winery has become the first winery in California to be distinguished as a LEED Gold certified facility.