Project Details
- Project Name
- Hill Country Wine Cave
- Location
- Texas
- Architect
- Clayton Korte
- Project Types
- Outbuilding
- Project Scope
- New Construction
- Size
- 1,405 sq. feet
- Year Completed
- 2019
- Shared by
- Madeleine D'Angelo
- Consultants
- Design Architect and Architect of Record: Clayton and Little
- Project Status
- Built
- Room or Space
-
Kitchen ,Other ,Patio ,Storage/Closets
- Style
- Modern
This project was selected as a Honor winner in the 2021 Residential Architect Design Awards, Outbuilding category.
"This project is like a grown-up’s playhouse or secret hideout—with wine! It is a refined intervention inserted into a carved-out cave.” —Juror Ingrid Spencer
Some of Central Texas’ most breathtaking scenery can be found in its Hill Country. Its proximity to Austin has helped the area become a popular destination for prosperous homeowners with a taste for finer things—such as the private wine cave designed by local firm Clayton Korte. An oenophile’s dream, the 4,000 bottle–capacity project combines a cozy, yet chic interior with high-performance amenities. It is also, courtesy of design ingenuity, a model for future residential outbuildings in the region.
Literally embedded in one of the area’s namesake hills, the 1,405-square-foot project boasts a wild setting for what appears on the inside to be all but identical to a high-end wine bar in the city. The designers were largely content to leave alone the cave itself, which long predated the project; the only portion of the new structure that engages the rock face is the entrance, composed of board-formed concrete shaped to fit the irregular contours of the cave mouth. Walls of exposed rock, sprayed with concrete for stability but natural in appearance, surround a comfortable bar-lounge and a temperature-controlled storage and tasting room. The space is warmed by wooden cabinetry and ceilings and toughened by black metal fixtures and seating. The design’s quietude speaks volumes, making the case for preserving the Hill Country’s landscape with an architecture of understated organicism.
PROJECT CREDITS:
Project: Hill Country Wine Cave, Texas Hill Country
Architects: Clayton Korte, San Antonio, Texas. Brian Korte, FAIA (principal), Camden Greenlee, AIA, Josh Nieves, Brandon Tharp, Nicole Corwin
Architect of Record: Clayton Korte
Landscape Architect: Clayton Korte
Interior Designer: Clayton Korte
Structural Engineer: SSG Structural Engineers, San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Mechanical Engineer: Positive Energy, Austin, Texas
Civil Engineer: Intelligent Engineering, San Antonio, Texas
Geotechnical Engineer: Raba Kistner, New Braunfels, Texas
General Contractor: Monday Builders, McAllen, Texas
Lighting Designer: Studio Lumina, Austin, Texas
Size: 1,405 square feet
Materials and Sources:
Acoustical System: LBI Boyd FR acoustic fabric
Appliances: Miele, Sub Zero, InSinkerator, Wolf, Perlick
Building Management Systems/Services: -
Ceilings: mixed grain Douglas fir, exposed concrete
Concrete: board formed architectural concrete
Flooring: poured-in-place concrete
Glass: Guardian SNX 62
HVAC: Mitsubishi, Whisper Kool, Panasonic, Seiho
Insulation: Knauf Eco Batt
Lighting: Sistemalux, Tech Lighting, BK Lighting, Ecosense, Luminii, Kichler, RAB, 3G Lighting
Lighting Control Systems: Lutron Diva
Metal: blackened hot rolled steel
Millwork: Custom - White Oak
Paints/Finishes: Rubio
Plumbing/Water System: Kohler, Vigo, Toto, Watermark
Software: Autodesk Revit, SketchUp
Windows/Curtainwalls/Doors: Custom thermally broken steel/wood
Project Description
FROM THE ARCHITECTS:
The Wine Cave is tucked into an 18’ tall x 70’ deep existing excavation overlooking a bend in the Blanco River. The north facing opening is protected on the east and west by tall Cypress, Oak and Elm trees. As a destination within the larger ranch, the unassuming exterior entry court reveals a bit of mystery belying the space within. Heavy limestone boulders collected from the area and lush vegetation are leveraged to enhance the procession towards the cave. The exterior is faced with board formed concrete that molds to the irregular surfaces of the limestone. On the interior, Cedar and Cypress trees, destroyed in a record 2015 flood, will be salvaged and milled for wall paneling and millwork for the new entertaining and tasting lounge, bar and restroom. The private cellar will house a growing wine collection stored within the cave utilizing the consistent 55-60 degree subterranean temperature and humidity.