PRIVATE RESIDENCE
The clients for this residential estate wanted a modern garden with lines that reflected the horizontal planes of the house itself, but also wanted to embrace and enjoy the natural environment. The first impression a visitor has of this private residence is a set of handcrafted copper and steel gates. Through the gates, the drive winds up a shady hillside. At the top of the hill the view opens to a sculpted grassy knoll from which the house appears to flow.
Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright and the minimalist work of the Japanese-American Isamu Naguchi, Macknally Land Design and the architect worked closely to plan a homesite that allows the house to be integrally connected to the surrounding landscapes. From a desire for the exterior gardens to be an extension of the rooms within the house, materials similar in character were used throughout the house and extend into the landscape, such as stone paving and walls. The horizontal planes of the house contrasts with the rolling wooded hillside, representing the symbolic difference between the built environment and nature.
MORE »Immediately adjacent to the residence, a simple plant palette was used to carry out the minimalist theme. Macknally Land Design used a combination of native and specimen plant material to highlight the lines of the house with focus on the entry court and pool courtyard. A wildflower meadow was planted on a disturbed hillside to restore the area and to bring the native area in close to the home. Planted with native grasses and wildflowers the meadow provides seasonal interest from the main bedroom and bath.
To minimize disturbance, the house was located to take advantage of the previously disturbed portion of the ridge that was widened by the use of earthen gabions. The gabions were planted with native vines, resulting in a "green wall" that blends in with the site's existing vegetation. Projecting from the ridge, this residence and gardens are surrounded by a mature beech, oak, poplar, and dogwood forest. Through thoughtful collaboration, we created and developed the site plan, exterior hardscapes and landscapes for this fine residence.
