Napa Style

On a recent trip to Napa Valley, I learned of the passing of Architect Howard Backen. Anyone who has visited Napa has more than likely been in a Howard Backen designed building. Whether it was a winery, restaurant or residence, he fundamentally defined the Napa Style. His humble farmhouse aesthetic (Backen refused to call it a style) is a simple expression driven by function and harmony with the land. Interestingly, in a land where wine makers and winery owners have all the clout, Backen became one of the most influential and sought after figures in the Valley without having anything to do with grapes. His buildings have been a significant source of inspiration for Architects around the country including our firm.  His mastery of the simple agrarian structure provides a pure lesson in restraint. 

Backen and two of his colleagues opened Backen, Arrigoni and Ross, now BAR Architects, in San Francisco in the mid 60’s. As BAR grew, Backen became bogged down in the management of the firm which drew him away from his true passion – design. His friendship with Bill Harlan, one of Napa’s preeminent vintners was the turning point for Backen to plant his footprint on the Napa landscape. Harlan asked Backen to design a winery for him in Napa Valley. Without hesitation he accepted and moved to Napa escaping the hustle of San Francisco. Shortly after, in1996 he opened Backen & Gilliam Architects.

The Harlan Estate Winery conveys an understated luxury amid its natural surroundings. The building enhances the landscape; it doesn’t overwhelm it. Harlan was quoted in Wine Spectator saying, “You want the architecture to feel like it grew right out of the landscape and not to have a greater presence than the land, the landscape itself. So, the architecture needs to have some reason, and the history, the heritage, the culture and the evolution from raw land.”

These words resonated with Backen and set the tone and philosophy for what he would design over the next three decades. Other wineries were so impressed with his work they began hiring Backen and Gilliam. That led to restaurant commissions, resorts and residences. Eventually Backen would have 60 wineries, 7 resorts, 40 restaurants and 300 residences to his name. Some of Napa and Sonoma’s highest profile wineries including Harlan Estate, Rudd, Davis, Promontory, Bond, Paul Hobbs and Cliff Lede barely scratch the surface. Meadowood Resort is included in his long list of accomplishments, one of Napa’s signatures and highly reputable Resorts.