St. Helena, California, USA
David Darling and Joshua Aidlin of Aidlin Darling Design and Roderick Wylie of Surfacedesign have undertaken the crucial task to transform a former Victorian house into a winery focusing on the personal wine-tasting experience while amplifying the beauty and symmetry of the building.
The project has recently been awarded a 2023 International Architecture Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
Through collaborative efforts and careful consideration of latent character, a historic relic was transformed into Faust Winery’s first tasting venue.
Working with the landscape and engineering teams, the interior and surrounding landscape are activated as casual settings for wine tasting.
In reconsidering the typical Napa wine-tasting experience, which involves a centrally located tasting bar, the team conceived of a decentralized concept that affords guests a more casual, autonomous experience.
Originally built in 1878 in the Queen Anne style, the existing Victorian house has decades of neglect, requiring extensive site work, structural upgrades, and restoration.
This work included extensive grading and sub-surface drainage systems, new waterproofing, new finishes, and surgically installed MEP systems.
All the above presented the opportunity to ensure the soul of the historic building was preserved while infusing the design with an open modern sensibility.
Both interior spaces and the surrounding landscapes were re-envisioned to provide casual settings for wine tasting.
A crawl space was transformed into a tasting cellar, uncovering the home’s original stone foundation.
The upper level and iconic turret were preserved but opened up on the inside to transform the space below.
The home’s central staircase was restored to expose its rich materiality.
A new skylight was added to amplify daylight from above. Conceptually, the staircase serves as a primary design element.
As the palette transitions from one of dark opulence to bright simplicity, it represents the transcendence of the winery’s namesake: Faust, the protagonist of Goethe’s classic play.
A mural was commissioned to reinforce this concept of enlightenment as it traces the stairwell to the upper floor.
The Faust Haus also hosts an ongoing series of intimate workshops, art, fashion showcases, and exhibitions featuring global creatives – solidifying the Faust Haus as a cultural gathering space.
Project: Faust Haus
Architects: Aidlin Darling Design
Lead Architects: David Darling and Joshua Aidlin
Landscape Architects: Roderick Wylie, Surfacedesign
Client: Huneeus Vintners
Photographers: Adam Rouse
