Brecon Estate Winery, located on the "Emerald Necklace" of Paso Robles' progressive wine growing region and remodeled by Aidlin Darling Design, was bestowed a Merit Design Award for Architecture at the 2016 San Francisco AIA Design Awards. The jury noted that the real strength of the project is in its simplicity and its restraint; "The crisp detailing and carefully composed materials make this just a stunning project through and through."
Brecon Estate Winery strived to reconnect its prized location with its wine and physical presence. To this end, phase one of the remodel involved a complete facelift and reorganization of an existing production facility and tasting room. The previously existing structure had virtually no relationship to the land that surrounded it. Aidlin Darling Design set out to return the building to its agricultural and pragmatic simplicity; faux-historic decoration was stripped away and replaced with earthen plaster and an untreated cedar rain screen. These naturally weathering materials will age gracefully, and are intended to reciprocate the agrarian structures found along California's Central Coast.
The visitor's approach to the building's tasting area was reorganized in an effort to reconnect them physically and experientially to the landscape and the adjacent vineyards. Revolving around a majestic oak tree, the tasting area connects indoor and outdoor space, and includes a large cantilevered deck, large pocketing doors, and a tasting bar positioned as a hinge between inside and outside spaces.
Future plans call for a new subterranean production facility and tasting area nearby. Ultimately, this reinterpretation of place will reflect Brecon Estate's authenticity, integrity and passion, and the role of place - terroir - in the making of wine.
Aidlin Darling's approach to design seeks to connect to the inherent spirit of a space, intertwining our experience with our environment through design that is both rational and sensual. With the intent of engaging all of the senses, their projects span a wide range of scale and type, and are as varied and prestigious as the Windover Contemplative Center at Stanford University, James Beard award-winning Bar Agricole, McEvoy Ranch Winery, and residential projects such as Paso Robles Residence and Vineyard Estate.