Architecture Firm:
WATG
Completion Date:
February 2009
Project Size (sf / site acreage):
4.91 acres
Project Location:
Yountville, CA
Interior Designer:
Inside Out LLC
General Contractor:
Cello Maudru
Landscape Designer:
George Girvin Associates, Inc.
Lighting Consultant:
Luminae Souter Assoc, LLC
Structural Engineer:
IL Gross
Mechanical Engineer:
Ecotope
Electrical Engineer:
Travis Fitzmaurice & Associates
Civil Engineer:
Bartelt Engineering
Owner:
Phil Sherburne
Sustainable Sites:
The project site is a family-held residence and garden-scale vineyard redevelopment that had fallen into disease and disrepair. The hotel will bear the family’s name, the Bardessono, and open a prime site of downtown Yountville acreage to a new use that encourages further tourism investment in the community.
A 45-foot vineyard set back on the western edge of the site buffers the hotel and spa from the road, minimizing visual impact to the community as well as creating a greenbelt and enhanced pedestrian corridor along the street.
A 60-foot vineyard runs the south edge of the site. It has walking trails connecting pedestrians from the town center to Hopper Creek on the east boundary of the site.
Site and drainage planning has been engineered so the creek’s integrity will be kept intact and development will be held to a 30-foot setback from the creek’s high bank line.
Vehicular access through the site is limited to a valet parking lot at the entry side of the site and a service road running along the back of the property, screened from prime view. Guests will have access to public and private spaces via walkways and electric service carts.
Landscape architectural design focuses on erosion control through the use of fountains and water features to manage the flow and flow direction of surface collected water.
Landscaped plant material will vary from viticulture to indigenous plant material designed for low-water usage in the summer and water management in the winter/rainy season. Whereas most “resort” developments strive for lush and dense landscapes often with exotic plant palettes, the Bardessono design approach is that of indigenous materials and ecosystems.
Any old growth trees that are being removed are being replaced with mature native trees.
Toward Zero Energy:
Energy-saving methods will include rooftop solar panels to heat the buildings and exterior solar shades to keep heat in and out. The solar panels are expected to generate the majority of the development’s energy need in the summer, and excess in the winter. Leftover energy will then be fed into the Pacific Gas & Electric grid.
The energy required for hot water originates from a geothermal heat pump system utilizing the site water below grade. Water is pumped to individual buildings as use requires.
The square footage of the public space (the restaurant and the spa) that requires full-time (year round) energy consumption will be kept to a minimum.
The guestrooms will be equipped with smart sensors such that when rooms are not in use they are not conditioned spaces. Guestrooms have operable windows for natural ventilation which is considered an amenity and will be highly encouraged for use when seasonal heating/cooling is not necessary.
When guests aren’t in the room, the control systems shut everything down automatically so there is no energy wasted.
Local and Sustainable Materials:
The primary exterior building materials are concrete-block, wood, and steel. The design intent is that of a very tactile experience, so that guests can closely relate to the site and the region. The materials are natural and timeless, and will have a natural patina process that will help the entire development age with an intentional evolution of the material’s characteristics.
The project’s materials reflect the colors and hues of the natural palette of the site and its environment. For example, concrete blocks are indicative of local soil type and color as is the wood of an agricultural valley ecosystem. Steel as an accent material is part of the historical context of the region.
The materials will all come from within a 500 mile radius of the site, and will include orchard walnut wood floors and Sonoma cast stone (a concrete product) in guest rooms; California Bay Laurel for the desks in the guest rooms; recycled redwood in the ceilings of the Port Cochere, entry, lounge and private dining room; and Tufa stone from the original Bardessono home and wine storage.
There is a plan in place for recycling construction waste.
The materials for the public and private interior spaces will all have low VOC’s and recycled content such as recycled glass tile and sustainable materials.
Sustainable Water:
The native plantings and succulents in the landscape will bring down irrigation usage by 50 percent.
Efficient plumbing fixtures including waterless urinals will reduce annual water usage.
IEQ and Comfort:
Sun-shading devices on the exterior of the buildings will reduce the heat and glare but will still allow for visibility.
Each guestroom has six foot high garden walls to enhance privacy.
Water features near public spaces keep ambient exterior temperatures lower, which in turn keep the ambient interior temperatures lower.
Controllability of systems combined with using energy-efficient water/plumbing and lighting fixtures will enhance comfort. For example, when guests check in, their music and lighting tastes guests will be programmed to meet them upon arrival in the room.
The site planning is such that the views are maximized for every guestroom.
The spa building has a rooftop pool to give guests the ultimate in outdoor view experience from that recreation area.
Energy efficient light fixtures will be standard throughout.
Collective Wisdom and Feedback:
The Pacific Northwest, with its incredible natural beauty, has a long heritage of environmental sensitivity when it comes to the design of the built environment. We have had the good fortune to be surrounded by innovative residential and commercial building design here in the Seattle area that has inspired and educated us in the profession and as individuals. There is a legacy in this area of environmental stewardship that we feel we have shared in our area of hospitality design by our participation in conferences and panel discussions.
Regional/Community Design:
The Bardessono Inn and Spa will be a unique project that embraces a harmonious relation to the environment throughout the property. Unique programs that parallel the landscape and architecture will be created for the guest to experience wine, food and personal rejuvenation that will create memories, enjoyment and a “word-of-mouth” reputation for a wonderful experience.