JMMDS created a garden of living walls and Corten-steel around a tall contemporary house that sits on a narrow lot overtopped with giant pine trees. A green wall greets the visitor at the front of the house while a water rill of weathered steel recirculates around the side and back.

Devised to minimize root disturbance for the tall existing pines on the property, the continuous Corten steel structure is supported by concrete tubes rather than a foundation that would have required extensive excavation.

An elegantly curved wall of shade-loving native plants softens a six-foot high concrete retaining wall at the entry court that doubles as a turn-around and parking area. Native plants such as ferns, Solomon Seal, and foamflower fill the cells of the verdant vertical wall, offering privacy, textural interest and beauty for this welcoming entryway.

New York State bluestone and limestone planks set into a sea of pea gravel bear the weight of vehicles while allowing rainwater to permeate into the ground to reduce run-off.

The curving corten steel staircase connects upper and lower landscapes with minimal impact on the existing mature canopy trees.

Native plantings spill over the top of an exterior planter wall faced with blue tile around an angular Ipe deck. The small curving lawn is edged in steel and surrounded with native trees and shrubs that screen the neighbors.

Parking areas at the front of the house transition into stone pathways through the landscape.

The cylindrical steel water bubbler forms the beginning of the water journey that travels from the upper landscape to the lower level around the back of the house. The “handrill” of Corten steel follows the peastone and steel steps down a steep slope.

The custom corten steel staircase is utilitarian while also being a bold graphic element in the landscape.

The meditation hut in the lower landscape overlooks the steel water feature.

The 'Handrill' empties into a channel that meanders through the narrow back garden at ground level. The water journey ends in a riverstone delta around a boulder fountain.

Water travels down the 'Handrill', from the upper platform deck down to the lower woodland garden.

Bold, contemporary lines in the landscape are informed by the modern architecture.

Water travels down the 'Handrill'.

Photography

Susan Teare

Collaborators

Architect: Wolf Architects, Inc.
General Contractor: GF Rhode Construction, Inc.
Landscape Contractor: Robert Hanss, Inc.
Greenwall: g_space LLC
Steel Fabrication: Wovensteel and Richard Duca
Water Systems: Pond Creations by Sean