Retail

Sapphire Creek Winery and Gardens is a multi-use facility that houses scheduled events on the weekends and walk-in guests throughout the week. The site is also a feature for the owner’s landscape design company. Our primary design challenge for this project was to create a reprieve on the site of the owner’s 20-year established landscape design company. Additionally, the arrival to the site and approach to the building had to be celebratory because guests have to drive through an industrial park to find the property. The visual identity from the road is that only of a weathered sign which doubles as the threshold to the approach. Once the guest enters the 10 acre site a meandering drive immediately establishes a sense of place apart from its surroundings. The drive crosses a creek and climbs up to an elbow turn to the first glimpse of the building. The heavily wooded site was essential to maintain and the adjacency to the creek was a primary driver for the building placement. The topographic variation of the site allowed for the lower level to access the creek side of the building while the entire main floor has either a physical or visual connection to its natural context.

The simplicity of the gabled form allowed for the juxtaposition of a local nostalgic vernacular and a more contemporary materiality. The majority of the exterior is corrugated metallic metal panel with vast quantities of glazing on the South and West facades and cedar accents represent the gable ends. Entry is distinguished with a slim steel canopy and a more notable translucent roof system that extends over the entire lobby and into the tasting room. The diffused daylight paired with the immediate view through 16 feet tall windows invokes an exterior surrounding. The translucent roof also bridges the two primary spaces in the building, the tasting room and the main hall.