Napa Valley Junior College Upper Valley Campus

Challenge

Design this campus to complement the site’s location in the heart of Napa Valley wine country

Solution

• Use the campus’s culinary curriculum as the basis for the site design, which includes fruit trees, vineyards and an herb garden
• Build a simple quadrangle court in the heart of the campus, oriented with views of the surrounding hills

Special Features

• Hedgerows of poplars lead into the campus and parking areas, providing shade and vertical interest
• Walnut trees and vineyards provide an inviting foreground to the building complex
• Herb parterre garden reflects the formal geometry of the court
• Extensive use of flowering pear trees provide shade and create an orchard feel in the parking lot
• Built nearly 30 years ago, the project is often used as a model for large water-conserving landscape projects