PODCASTS > Arcat Detailed Podcast Episode

132: Steel Arbor | Alton Wines

50m 47s |
In this episode, Cherise is joined by returning guests Jon Gentry, AIA, Partner and Co-founder, and Aimee O’Carroll, ARB, Partner and Co-founder of Go’C in Seattle, Washington. They discuss the new Alton Wines Tasting Room and Wine Garden in Walla Walla, Washington.

Alton Wines is quietly tucked into a natural cove just outside Walla Walla, where wave-like hills and vineyards shape the land. The site—once considered “unfarmable” due to its position and soil—offered a rare opportunity: to build something that would not disrupt the landscape, but instead belong to it. As guests arrive, the architecture guides them southward along a vine-covered arbor made of a steel frame that leads directly to the heart of the experience: a tasting room and wine garden arranged across the site from east to west.

Photo Credit (Name): Kevin Scott






Jon Gentry, AIA, Partner and Co-founder of GO'C



Jon co-founded GO'C with Aimee in 2012 after nine years as a project architect in Seattle, working with several acclaimed firms.

Growing up in rural North Carolina, he developed a deep appreciation for the landscape and a passion for creating structures that thoughtfully respond to their site and express their pragmatic functions.

He believes architecture, when rooted in a hands-on, passionate process, has the power to elevate everyday experiences.


Aimee O'Carroll, ARB, Partner and Co-founder of GO'C



Aimee, born and educated in the United Kingdom at the University of Cambridge and the Architectural Association, moved to Seattle to pursue architectural practice with Jon Gentry after working together transatlantically on several successful design competitions.

A one year stint at Rural Studio designing and building a house for $20k in rural Alabama created a passion for hands-on experiences and problem solving.

Aimée is passionate about design as a collaborative process and enjoys finding opportunities in this process that blur the conventional perceptions of what we understand as architecture.

GO'C has been widely published and recently awarded AIA Emerging Firm of the Year in the Northwest and Pacific Region.


Project Name and Location: Alton Wines, Walla Walla, Washington



Inhabiting a wave-like landform just outside Walla Walla, Alton Wines nestles itself into an existing cove that is formed by the surrounding vineyards. A long drive from the county road traces the existing vineyards which are carved into the natural terrain. The site itself is an untouched pocket amongst farmland. Deemed 'unfarmable' due to the soil makeup and location in the crook of the vineyards, the owner and farmer of the land had been waiting for the right opportunity to build something special. A design that is sensitive to the natural landscape was welcomed.

Focusing on the surrounding views, the architecture acts as a frame bringing the landscape closer into focus and a part of one's immediate experience. Upon arrival visitors to the winery are guided due south, on axis with the arbor leading to the Tasting Room and Wine Garden which orient East/West across the site. This dramatic approach captures and accentuates the view of the Blue Mountains seen through the terrace between the two buildings. The site offers stunning views to the south which are maximized as the building opens up to the fields beyond.

A connection to the landscape, outdoor space, and opportunity for shade were important factors in designing the winery in an area known for its dry hot summers and cold crisp winters. Responding to the client's desire to have a separate Wine Garden and Tasting room, an open-air covered space is captured between the two. This serves as both the entry point and approach to the winery but also an additional outdoor room, allowing both the Tasting Room and Wine Garden to spill out for events and give approaching visitors a view into each. An open, airy inviting Tasting Room where guests would want to linger was a high priority, with lots of flexibility for programming and events. Opening up to both the covered outdoor space and also a large terrace to the south increases the usable space and gives guests options to tailor the winery experience to their needs.

A rigorous structural grid and framed openings is used throughout the building. Starting at the approach to the winery, steel bays form an arbor which will be planted with grape vines, creating much needed shade on summer days. This arbor structure passes through the building and forms the awning for the south terrace outside the tasting room. Sliding doors and windows infill this structural grid and enclose the tasting room. The structure is capped by a sheltering roof which is pierced by three elements--an anchoring chimney stack, an extruded skylight and a carved entry opening. These elements help to anchor the west end of the space and funnel natural light deep into the plan of the building and frame sky views throughout the seasons.


Project Team List:



GO'C Design Team


  • Jon Gentry, AIA

  • Aimée O'Carroll, ARB

  • Yuchen Qiu

  • Ashley Skidmore



Project Team



Podcast Production: Gabl Media Group Inc.



Participants:

Cherise Lakeside, FCSI, CDT  image
Cherise Lakeside, FCSI, CDT
Senior Spec Writer | RDH Building Science
Jon Gentry, AIA image
Jon Gentry, AIA
Co-founder | GO’C (Go-see)
Aimée (Amy) O'Carroll ARB image
Aimée (Amy) O'Carroll ARB
Co-founder | GO’C (Go-see)
Podcast