Situated at the foot of an old forest grove and beside a smooth pebble beach, the untouched beauty of the wild West Coast surrounds this fabulous site. The intention for this project, and with every site we have the privilege of working on, was to reconnect the area disturbed by construction back to its ecological context.

Working alongside the house designer, we created planted spaces that complemented the modern, elemental design of the home and patio spaces, while also situate the site within the glorious natural surroundings. To blend the edges of the hardscape elements into the landscape, soft native grasses and perennial plants are juxtaposed against the combinations of wood, steel, and concrete. The gentle and minimalistic swaths of plantings ground these features to the site while guiding the user through each space, while creating habitat and ecological value for the many species co-existing in the area. One of the special features on this project was the gabion walls. These unique structures provide strong lines and retention with minimal impact on the land. With rocks repurposed from local excavations, they are fully permeable as well as beautiful in a very elemental way. The walls provide a perfect backdrop for the texture and movement of the plants. The combination of hardscape and softscape choices complement the context through subtle visual intrigue, while allowing the wild surroundings to remain the focal point.

One of the most important elements of working with living materials is the ability to reconnect sites back into their context at an ecological level. When sourced and incorporated with intentionality and knowledge, plants are key to creating a resilient and healthy landscape. A special thank you to our friends at Satin Flower Nursery for offering such a beautiful and knowledgeable selection of Native Plant species.

TRADITIONAL TERRITORY | T'Sou-ke and Scia'new

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE | Biophilia Design Collective

LANDSCAPE BUILD | Tim Nicholson

HOUSE DESIGNER | Josh Harvey

PHOTOGRAPHY | Jody Beck Photography