The Windswept product adds style, sophistication and
practicality to what we designers have long called for ~ a reclaimed appearance
with the stability and structural integrity of new wood backed by industry
associaons, and at nearly half the investment of reclaimed woods with minimal
waste. This combined with the warm Eco-Story yields a fresh environmental
chronicle.
Chateau Ste. Michelle
Prosser, WA
12,200 sf combinedRead full article
Situated in the picturesque Horse Heaven Hills sits one of the most well respected American wineries; Chateau Ste. Michelle’s 14 Hands vineyards. Critically acclaimed, this Washington wine’s success grew from the shelves of restaurants and select retailers. Ste. Michelle desired a new tasting facility to be the first platform for 14experience with their already established and successful wine.
BCRA first launched the
design process for a new tasting room with an abstract understanding of what the 14 Hands brand
experience could be. While 14 Hands celebrates successful varietals, and hails
as the official Wine of the Kentucky derby, the customer experience of the wine
itself lacked definition. The existing label artwork was the only existing
visual expression of their brand. It highlights wild horses, known to be 14
hands tall, that used to be abundant in the Horse Heaven Hills region. Ste.
Michelle executives also expressed a desire for a “Cowboy Nouveau" tasting
experience.
The site was unique; Ste. Michelle was faced with
a decision to utilize a site with an existing 43,000 sf production facility or
search for a new location. Many local wineries set up small shops with a
mall-like approach to tasting, alluring visitors with one-stop shopping. In
turn, this has removed visitors from the craft of wine making itself. BCRA’s
designers sought to honor the age old traditions of the region complimented
with today’s modern authenticity of the wine making process.
Much like the agrarian concept of farm growth over
time, BCRA demonstrated the existing site could organically evolve to
accommodate 14 Hands in a variety of ways, including a large 50’ x 20’ mural of
the famed label artwork to create a minimalist illusion of a vast building.
Moving from the warehouse, slightly rotating the orientation of the 2700 sf
addition smoothly transitions the interior and exterior space. Finally, a
spacious courtyard flanked by topographic walls break up the view from the
parking lot and bring a visual line of interest to the open sky and surrounding
hills.
Windswept Weathered Wood was utilized exclusively for all interior and exterior elevations, creating a timeless space complimenting the genuine and authentic ethos of 14 Hands brand.
A Western Red Cedar substrate was chosen for the exterior elevation while the warm and powerful Eco-Story of utilizing fallen or standing-dead beetle-kill Engelmann-Spruce Lodgepole Pine trees from the Colorado Rocky Mountain regions.
Contact:
Glen Ehrhardt, Business Development
Windswept Weathered Wood
PO Box 59
Lakebay, WA 98349
p. (253) 884-6255
f. (253) 884-6256
