A characteristic feature of the site is its exposed elevation with a difference in height of about three metres from the roadside to the ground floor level. The aim was to integrate the residential building carefully into the surrounding landscape without it being perceived as a foreign body.
While designing the aim was to create the usable garden area, which was accessed at the ground level from the ground floor, as generous as possible. The upper garden area contains lawn and vegetation areas, the house entrances, terraces and a pool. The differences in height to the street and to the neighbouring areas to the rear could be designed very well visually and structurally with natural stone walls in dry construction. The difference in height was easy to conceal visually. Intermediate terraces created additional vegetation areas that can be planted with a variety of plants and thus soften the impression of the wall heights. The entire complex blends into the landscape.
The materials used for pathways, terraces, walls and stairs are coordinated with each other to create a calm yet strong garden image in combination with a selected choice of plants. A staircase made of granite block steps in the colour of autumn leaves overcomes the enormous height difference of over three metres from street level to upper garden level. The dry stone wall made of Bad Karlshafen limestone is characteristic for its multifaceted play of beige and brown tones and is offset with individual massive boulders.
The access path made of mosaic granite pavement runs past structurally rich perennial and grass plantings under umbrella-shaped ornamental shrubs and borders on large-format natural stone slabs at the entrance landings. Stones resting in a bed of moss quote aspects of Japanese garden art.
Hedge bars serving as room dividers prevent the garden from being immediately overlooked.
Towards the street, the individual sections of the wall, which are bordered on two levels with Bad Karlshafen limestone, are lushly planted. Large existing trees such as beech and pine trees stand on the hillside and define small intimate garden spaces provided with a lawn parterre and perennial plantings.
The upper garden level is bordered with a rusting steel edge. An organically curved lawn parterre, which is framed on the sides by year-round ornamental plant beds, forms the uppermost garden plateau. From the house you can access the garden via a terrace made of large-format shell limestone slabs, which offers space for garden furniture.
There is a swimming pool, also framed with shell limestone slabs. A wooden bench serves both as a seat and as a storage space for deck chair cushions and towels. A spacious terrace made of wood offers plenty of space for residents and their guests under the leaf canopy of the trumpet tree.
A wooden pergola covered with clematis and wisteria serves as a boundary to the neighbour. A path made of granite pavement leads around the house. The entrance to the underground car park is designed with natural stone slabs and granite row paving. Laterally arranged blue and white flowering climbing plants climb up the walls to the garden.
Location: Germany
Design year: 2018
Year Completed: 2019
Photo Credit: Phil Gera
