Building as Narrative

Winemaking is story telling.  Every vintage tells of the story of the past: the story of its makers, the story of the weather and the land.  Even more important are the stories shared by friends, family and strangers coming together around wine and food.  The Sunrise Guest Homes are designed as devices to help tell the Tili Vini’s story.  The arrangement, tectonics and systems of the buildings are elements in the narrative that support Tili Vini’s commitment to the land, wine and family. 

Whether it is pruning, harvesting or fermenting, each point in the winemaking process is tied to the seasons and weather, marking the year’s progress.  The guest homes are also devices for tracking the passage of time.  Each home is aligned to a sunrise on 5 specific dates: the Vernal Equinox, Autumnal Equinox, Summer Solstice, Winter Solstice and 11/11.  The buildings’ bedrooms face eastward and are aligned with the sunrises, creating special astrological connections for guests at moments but also affording sunrise views for all units throughout the year.  On the western side, the guest homes and public spaces are focused on a sundial/fire pit at the center of the lawn.  During the day, guests can track the sun’s progress and during the evening they can gather around the firepit to share their stories with a bottle or two.  All the units and the lawn afford sunset views to the west, framing the closing of the day.  This direct and focused connection with the sun‘s path ties the visitors to the larger cycles of the seasons and winemaking while also anchoring daily life.

The material selection and building systems also echo the winemaking process, while simultaneously reflecting ethical concerns about a connected world and our use of its resources.  First, the guest homes anchor to the ground through their stone bases.  This connection is a reminder of wine’s tie to the land and the influence that the underlying soils and rock have on the wine.  The buildings’ sheathing is aged oak slats similar to wine barrel’s staves.  The metal details on the buildings are like the hoops that keep the barrels together.  These elements are encasing a structurally insulated panel system (SIPS) with spray foam insulation to create an extremely efficient enclosure, lessening energy use.   Atop each guest home is a solar panel array.  Like grapes, the panels transform the sun’s energy into different forms: sugar and electricity, respectively.  The homes become productive instead of consumptive and this occurs elsewhere through the site.  Adding to the power generated by solar panels, the wind is being transformed into electricity via the turbine at the northwest property edge.   As water is precious for vine growth, the ground materials throughout the property are all permeable so that water can return into the ground.  Gray water is collected from the wastewater unit along with water collection from the roof and stored in cisterns for reuse on site. The septic system along with the power generation and water tension help to make the site self-sustaining, helping to communicate Tili Vini’s vision and story.