Well, Primo got my all excited about Google Earth so I was cruising through Napa Valley and thought I'd post the Dominus Winery by Herzog and de Meuron.

Completed in 1997 the Dominus winery was designed by the Swiss architects, Herzog and de Meuron. Best known for the Tate Modern in London, their first project in the United States was Dominus. In 2001, Jaques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron were awarded the Pritzker Prize, the highest honor in architecture.

Known for their innovative architectural design, their approach was to integrate the winery into the landscape, echoing our belief that the vineyard is of utmost importance. Indeed, from a distance, the gabion structure dissolves into the landscape and it has been dubbed by the locals "the stealth winery."

Filled with basalt rocks from the nearby American Canyon, the stainless steel baskets are both an aesthetic and technical choice. Generally used to retain dirt along highways, here the gabions are used to moderate the extreme temperatures of the Napa Valley.

Dominus' glass offices provide panoramic views, allowing us to follow at all times the activity in the vineyard, key to producing a great wine.


There is a video tour of the building at the site.
http://www.dominusestate.com/architecture.html

Here is the .KMZ file. This is my first try so be patient please.

More info and pics

http://www.nai.nl/e/extras_e/webfile_hdm/proj_137.html

http://www.floornature.com/worldaround/articolo.php/art12/3/en

You did great Jake! A good idea is to add a link to the PPB thread too (just place it together with the text in the kmz) -or to other related websites.
This way if you find the placemark while looking into GE you are taken to the respective forum thread!

I have driven by this building a few times. The light that passes into it can make the building glow.
A story I was told is the bottom metal mesh had to be made small enough to keep critters out- not your typical issue for a wall.

I updated it to include a link to the thread. Thanks Primo! You are the Google Earth Master. :not worth

I am struggling to find more images of the winery. I am designing a garden and the client is very keen to use these gabions and I would like to get as many images to see what other materials they used in conjunction with the gabions. Google search does not throw up much detail.

thanks

P.

Dominus gabion detail (More shots HERE (http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=dominus%20winery&w=all&s=int)):

Thanks Digdoi.

I should have thought to look at Flickr. I must use it more often.

:not worth

Here is an article that gives some examples of other projects built in the same vein.

http://www.lrs.co.za/architecture2.htm


yes always be aware of critters.