Silverado Guest House

4Winds Winery is located in the Stags Leap District among the Palisades' volcanic countryside, and as the name suggests, it is a windswept and wild environment. In 2017 the Kincaid fires moved through much of the wine country in Northern California, including the property at 4Winds, and ravaged one of the property's buildings along with the electrical and mechanical facilities servicing the PV battery system located up on the hill. Luckily, the vines and foliage acted as a shield to the central estate, but the Guest House was entirely demolished and severely damaged the Caretaker's house. Forma Construction worked closely with Taylor Lombardo Architects to rebuild the structure to match the existing footprint, emphasizing matching the main, historical, family estate.

Most of the property is steep and somewhat rugged. Due to the unforgiving landscape, many materials to rebuild the electrical and mechanical buildings could only be brought in with a 4-person ATV. Our team's "office" was set up in the private tasting area within the properties wine cave, complete with wi-fi and printer, and allowed us to store salvaged items and building materials. One of the most interesting aspects of the project was replacing the cast bronze bell on the guesthouse, also demolished in the fire. This bell traditionally would call workers in from the field and was an important historical feature of the original building. The replacement was ordered through Elderhorst Bells in Pennsylvania, tuned to the "A" note, weighs 132 pounds, and can be wrung by a button inside the house. It is inscribed "Franklin's Tower," the owner's father, and the year 2019 in Roman Numerals, to continue the family legacy.