Faust Winery
The conceptual framework for the Faust Winery landscape is built around the idea of painterly garden rooms that support the rustic yet refined character of the existing landscape. A gradient of color pulls visitors up through the site and helps build an identity for each of the garden spaces. Vibrant red plants mark the entry to the winery. The rich and unusual colors help command the attention of passer-by and evoke an immediate sense of identity for Faust.
After parking, visitors walk up the hill to the winery via the Vineyard Path, a meandering trail that encourages exploration and discovery by immersing visitors in the heart of the Faust vineyard. Perennial plantings flank either side of the path, transitioning from a red-orange palette at the base of the hill to a yellow-orange palette at the top.
The Speakeasy Garden sits at the top of the hill. This garden is largely defined by its proximity to a grove of mature, existing shade trees which bathe the garden in dappled light. Lush, yellow-orange perennials define the boundaries of the garden while a palette of native woodland plants carpet the adjacent hillside.
Visitors walk up the adjacent stairs to the Welcome Terrace, where they are greeted by a cheery garden of yellow plants and stunning views out to the surrounding valley. A grassy hillside amphitheater offers visitors an informal place to relax and take in the views. Alternatively, visitors can continue up to the Victorian Garden. Three large elm trees were planted at the heart of the garden as a means of creating shade for the Victorian Garden, which was kept clear in order to provide space for movable furniture and to allow visitors access to the scenic overlook.
Adjacent to the Victorian Garden is the Grassy Knoll. The hillside amphitheater features four mature olive trees. Relocated from an on-site olive grove, the trees provide dappled shade for visitors wanting to sit and look out to the valley.
The final garden space is the Tasting Garden. The Tasting Garden features exuberant red and orange plant palettes bordering a large concrete and gravel plaza. A grove of large trees provide shade for visitors.
Location: St. Helena, CA
Status: Completed 2020
Project Type: Winery
Collaborators: Aidlin Darling Design, Cello & Maudru Construction Co.
Photography: Marion Brenner
The many garden rooms welcome Faust’s visitors, inviting them to linger for an afternoon of wine-tasting. Guests are encouraged to explore the grounds. With no strict procession through the site, visitors are continually rewarded with a rich sense of discovery as they wander through the distinct garden rooms scattered throughout Faust’s property for a truly soulful experience.
Because Napa Valley gets oppressively hot in the summer, providing shade throughout the site was essential to the design. Rather than populating spaces with umbrellas, Surfacedesign focused on procuring large shade trees—including transplanting mature olives that were already on site—in an effort to maintain the character of the landscape.
The team specified materials that matched the existing palette, such as reclaimed granite slabs, Sonoma fieldstone boulders, and timber steps. The use of reclaimed stones and simple materials gives the impression that the new landscape has always existed as part of the surrounding site.
