Saxum Vineyard Equipment Barn / Clayton Korte

Architects: Clayton Korte
Area: 2,340 ft²
Year: 2018
Photography: Casey Dunn
Architecture & Design Team: Brian Korte, Derek Klepac, Brandon Tharp, Josh Nieves
Contractor: Rarig Construction
Structural Engineering: Buehler Engineering
Lighting Design: Clayton Korte
Solar Basis of Design: Pacific Energy Company
Solar Engineering: Power and Communications Engineering Inc.
Clients: Saxum Vineyards
City: Paso Robles, California
Country: United States

Saxum Vineyard Equipment Barn, designed by Clayton Korte in Paso Robles, California, serves as a self-reliant utility structure for Saxum Winery and the James Berry Vineyard, completed in 2018. Built using reclaimed oilfield pipe, the structure features a laminated glass photovoltaic roof that produces 88,697 kilowatt hours annually, exceeding the site’s energy needs. It supports open-air storage, workshop space, and rainwater harvesting while incorporating durable materials, passive ventilation, and low-maintenance systems tailored to the region’s arid environment and reinforcing the winery’s long-term sustainability goals.

Saxum vineyard equipment barn / clayton korte

The Saxum Vineyard Equipment Barn, designed by Clayton Korte, sits at the base of the 50-acre James Berry Vineyard in the Templeton Gap region of west Paso Robles, California. Located just over 800 feet from the Saxum Winery, the barn was developed to facilitate daily vineyard operations while furthering ecological stewardship. It includes photovoltaic infrastructure, enables rainwater capture to support surrounding trees and pasture, and provides sheltered storage for agricultural equipment, livestock feed, and field tools.

The barn blends into its surroundings, and while it appears to only lightly touch the ground, its design strength lies in its resilience. The minimalist, regionally available materials withstand the dry climate and reduce the need for maintenance. The design utilizes the local climate to harness cross ventilation, daylight, and solar energy. The steel-pipe structure holds the photovoltaic roof system, ensuring the building is completely self-sufficient and operates independently from the energy grid, ensuring its survivability.
Interview with Paul Clayton and Brian Korte of Clayton Korte

Conceived as a modern pole barn, the structure uses a frame constructed from reclaimed Schedule 40 oilfield drill stem pipe in 2-inch, 3-inch, and 3.5-inch diameters. The untreated steel is left to weather naturally and serves as the support for a laminated glass photovoltaic roof that functions as both shelter and power generator. This roof generates approximately 88,697 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, surpassing the energy demands of the winery and vineyard irrigation systems. The integrated solar roof eliminates the need for an additional structure, conserving material and construction costs.

The building was designed to work in harmony with the local climate, utilizing cross ventilation, passive cooling, and daylighting to minimize energy consumption. Photovoltaic modules are supported by wood and WT steel flitch purlins welded to the steel pipe trusses. Structural stability is achieved through diaphragm rod cross-bracing and vertical tension-only frames. Along the roof’s lower edge, an 8-inch Schedule 40 half-pipe gutter was installed in preparation for future rainwater harvesting systems.

Material choices focused on regional durability and low maintenance. Open equipment bays are shaded and screened with perforated 22-gauge Western Rib Cor-Ten steel panels. The barn doors are clad in salvaged steel off-cuts originally used in the winery’s shoring walls. These irregular panels were arranged in a calico pattern and mounted on tube steel frames. Storage units are skinned with stained cedar siding, while the interiors are finished with unfinished rotary-cut Douglas fir plywood.

Pervious gravel paving was used in all open vehicle and livestock areas to reduce the use of cast-in-place concrete and allow rainwater to filter back into the soil. A deepened earthwork program further optimized the structural foundation, minimizing material use and supporting environmental performance goals.

Visible from the entrance to the property, the barn signals the winery’s operational ethos. As Clayton Korte states, the building “speaks to the winery’s commitment to sustainability and subservience to the natural landscape.” Fully self-sufficient and off-grid, the barn combines architectural clarity with agricultural function, advancing long-term resilience through thoughtful material use and energy independence.