Vancouver Garden Design by Klavdi Kukovic

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Client Brief:
The clients wanted a garden with a rectilinear theme, creating a connection between the clients’ mid-century modern style home and the site of a future studio.

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Design Solution:
The design solution considered the site’s topography, bedrock contours, and coastal location. Trees and tall ornamental grasses planted on the top terrace frame panoramic views and define the entryway down two sets of cantilevered stairs connected by four raised platforms. This approach conserves the stunning ocean view while creating suspense and timing throughout the entry sequence. The asymmetrical composition of linear concrete paving strips integrated with boxwood hedges and a large boulder creates a small contemporary courtyard that complements the residence’s architecture. The connection of the house to the garden is further emphasized by the retaining walls, made of cast-in-place concrete to mimic the house walls, creating a series of three integrated terraces adjacent to the stairs.

Every effort was made to incorporate the site’s natural beauty in the design. Most importantly, the design includes an unobtrusive transition where the garden meets the natural landscape by using boulders excavated on site and ornamental grasses. The design also emphasizes rugged textures to further connect the cultivated garden to its surrounding natural landscape. Paperbark maples reference the native arbutus trees, while the contorted forms of the Hollywood junipers and flowing appearance of the ornamental grasses harmonize with the movement of the ocean in the distance.