Douglass LaShay Residence, Portola Valley
Architecture and landscape design were developed simultaneously for this new home in Portola Valley. The site is blessed with existing mature oaks and views of expansive rolling hills backed by Mt. Diablo in the distance. These stunning elements were used to organize the design site and its features. Sweeping arcs of hardscape are fitted to the site’s topography. Floating pavements spring up from the hillside, implying that the new garden lightly trespasses upon native grassland.
Bands of native plants and perennials flow around the trees and out toward distant views, becoming an infinity-edge meadow. A close working relationship with the architecture team resulted in a site where buildings and gardens are tightly knit together, creating a captivating interplay between the natural and human-made environments.