- Interior
Discover this stunning glass pavilion at the new Caymus-Suisun Winery, located in a breathtaking location in Northern California. This winery offers a unique tasting experience in spaces decorated with custom-made pieces by contemporary artists and designers. The interior, provided by The Bureau led by Sarah Giesenhagen, is a masterpiece of collaborative creativity, revealing visual stories through an immersive spatial experience created by more than 30 creative makers and artists.
Caymus-Suisun Winery, founded by the Wagner family, the famous winemakers behind Caymus Vineyards in Napa Valley, is tucked among farmland in the rolling hills of Suisun Valley. This valley, just a short drive southeast of Napa Valley, benefits from the cool breezes of the Pacific coast and is designated an American Viticultural Area (AVA), which recognises it as a premier region for wine production.The new winery complex consists of a 511-square-metre glass tasting room pavilion with retractable walls and opening windows on all four sides. This innovative design allows the building to fully open to its surroundings, allowing visitors to enjoy a seamless connection with the outdoors. Besides the tasting room pavilion, the complex includes a retail building, 12 hectares of orchards, vegetable gardens and a ‘walking vineyard’. Visitors here can enjoy an exploratory experience spread across two buildings and traversable vineyards, with a range of indoor and outdoor seating, tasting rooms and retail spaces.
This innovative design allows the building to fully open up to its surroundings
The interior design, carried out by The Bureau in collaboration with Thad Geldert of Geldert, is distinguished by unique colour schemes that delineate different zones. The Bureau was also responsible for curating the furniture, fixtures, art and clothing, all of which were custom-made by more than 30 creative collaborators. ‘These carefully designed and curated components create an engaging and meaningful experience for visitors,’ said Giesenhagen. Her passion for agricultural ventures such as wine making and her love for hospitality design and storytelling inspired her to work on this project. The Bureau was founded in January 2020. ‘The process shapes the story we create for each distinctive brand or individual,’ says Giesenhagen. ‘Our storytelling starts with bespoke creations, in collaboration with various artists and designers. For The Bureau, collaboration is a direct line to sharing soulful work.’ Giesenhagen has great admiration and respect for the creative process and is constantly looking for new artists to collaborate with. She appreciates those who want to make their voices heard and create space for themselves and their communities, as well as those who can create a strong visual presence that stirs or provokes you in a beautiful way. In the private tasting room hangs a sculpture by Tanya Aguiñiga, inspired by the pyres set on fire after grubbing up a vineyard. This sculpture, made of naturally dyed materials such as cotton and reeds, evokes rebirth through fire. LGS Studio, led by Thomas Renaud and Noel Hennessy, designed 17 custom-made monolith planters, sconces and containers for the concrete tasting bar. Their work is constantly evolving and offers a dynamic addition to the spaces. Shin Okuda of Waka Waka Studio designed wooden furniture and functional objects for the winery. His work, often made of plywood, is both simplistic and tightly detailed. For this project, he made 28 custom-made chairs, tasting tables and a bar cart. 
The design of The Bureau celebrates the region's landscape and agriculture by using natural materials that evoke an earthy essence. The architecture, provided by Greg Mottola of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, creates a visual and physical connection to the vineyards and mountains from every part of the building. The modern design creates a new architectural language for the region.
Photography by Yoshihiro Makino
Text by Celien Hemelaer