Hall Winery
Gehry Partners, LLP

Photo courtesy Gehry Partners, LLP

The overall plan for the Hall Winery, acquired by Craig and Kathryn Hall in 2003, consists of three state-of-the-art production warehouses and two "showpiece" structures related to wine tours, tasting, and retail sales.

In order to fit within the scale and context of the surrounding environment, the facilities are articulated as a series of discreet buildings organized around a central courtyard.


Photo courtesy Gehry Partners, LLP

At the focal point of the courtyard is a renovated existing historical structure built in 1885 that once served the Napa Valley Wine Cooperative on the site. The courtyard and adjacent landscaped areas also provide opportunities for the Halls to display sculpture pieces from their extensive art collection.

The Hospitality Building is located at the western end of the central courtyard and serves as the architectural highlight of the facility and the culmination of the winery tour.

Articulated as discreet smaller volumes, clad in natural materials like wood and stone, the extensive use of glass as an enclosure creates a sense of connection to the surrounding vineyard landscape for the occupants.


Photo courtesy Gehry Partners, LLP

The building sits on a large reflecting pool which serves as a transition from the expansive limestone courtyard into the natural landscape. The tasting areas, open to an outdoor terrace, overlook the vineyard and the distant Mayacamas Mountains.


Photo courtesy Gehry Partners, LLP

The other "showpiece" building, the Reception Building, serves to welcome visitors approaching from the parking lot and the drop-off area.  The one-story glass building, contains a reception hall, visitor restrooms, art display walls, and a multimedia theater for viticulture education, presentations, and tour orientation.


Photo courtesy Gehry Partners, LLP

The most prominent architectural features on the site are freeform trellis canopies that envelop the Hospitality and Reception buildings, providing shade for the occupants, while minimizing reflective glare from the glass to the surrounding areas.


Photo courtesy Gehry Partners, LLP

The woven boards of the canopies give the experience of overhead leaves and branches, while the gestures of the trellis forms serve to formally unify the discreet building volumes.


Photo courtesy Gehry Partners, LLP
Hall Winery work area at Gehry Partners, LLP

Photo courtesy Gehry Partners, LLP
Frank Gehry with Project Designer Edwin Chan