Building type(s): Retail, Commercial office, Industrial
New construction
2,590 ft2 (240 m2)
Project scope: a single building
Rural setting
Completed January 1996
The first commercial strawbale building in California, Claiborne & Churchill Winery houses a tasting room, an office, and a production and barrel storage area.
Non-load-bearing strawbale walls infill a post-and-beam structural system with steel cross-bracing for lateral forces and an engineered-lumber compression strapping system to stabilize the 30-foot gable-end walls above large barn doors.
Environmental Aspects
Built with rice straw, a decay-resistant byproduct normally burned after rice harvest, Claiborne & Churchill Winery prevented both timber harvesting and the air pollution that would have resulted from burning the straw. An old-fashioned barn-raising party minimized construction costs and provided an opportunity for community gathering and cooperation.
The building's east-west orientation allows for a south-facing terrace with beautiful views that is protected from north winter winds and traffic noise. Passive-solar heat warms the south-facing tasting room and office, but all direct sunlight is blocked from the production and storage area of the winery, where cool temperatures are needed.
Clerestory windows utilize natural marine airflows for night ventilation and cooling. Along with small, north-facing windows, these clerestory windows admit indirect daylight, eliminating the need for electric lighting (and the resulting heat loads) during the daytime.
The winery requires no heating or cooling due to its passive solar design and the high insulation value of straw.
Building costs were approximately $60,000 lower than they would have been for conventional wood framing. The elimination of the heating and cooling systems saved an additional $10,000 plus an estimated $1,200 in operating costs each year.
Owner & Occupancy
Owned and occupied by Claiborne Thompson and Fredericka Churchill, Corporation, for-profit
Typically occupied by 15 people, 65 hours per person per week
During business hours, occupancy includes four or five employees and three to ten visitors. Occupancy increases during occasional special events.
Building Programs
Indoor Spaces:
Retail general, Warehouse, Restrooms, Manufacturing, Office, Lobby/reception, Other
