S E L E CT E DWORKS|MAR CH17. 2020
SHIBUSA
SIESTA KEY, FL (IN PROGRESS) Project Size: .75 Acres Status: In Progress – Structure ~60% complete; landscape to start end of March 2020 Architect: Hive Architects
CONTEXT This property is located at the north end of Siesta Key, fronting two bodies of water—Sarasota Bay and a navigable canal—and spanning a private road. The alluring views to the west look over Big Sarasota Pass to Lido Key. The clients’ vision was a seasonal retreat, and future retirement home, where they can enjoy the Gulf Coast sunsets and the natural amenity of this waterfront setting. DESIGN / PROGRAM With a simplicity of form and materials, the conceptual idea for this project derives from the Japanese word shibusa. The term refers to a particular aesthetic of simple, subtle, and unobtrusive beauty. The approach of both the architect and landscape architect was to blur the line between the interior and exterior spaces and incorporate the natural landscape into the experience of the home. Hive Architects sited the modern structure strategically on the linear property to take advantage of the views, and collaborated with DWY to unify the landscape and architecture in a singular elegant vocabulary. By slipping the long pool below a cantilevered wing of the home, DWY unified the horizontal and vertical elements, rendering a space that is both part of the landscape and part of the architecture. A sunken seating pit within the pool and gathering areas created around the deck encourage extended experience of outdoor spaces. The resulting amenities for entertainment, relaxation, and play generate a variety of distinct spaces that seamlessly link the deck and landscape back to the architecture. The site plan is delineated by dense screen plantings that obscure the north and south boundaries, providing separation from the large adjacent homes. The largely native plant palette that weaves throughout the site and the programmed landscape areas introduces scale and texture, creating comfortable and enticing outdoor living spaces.
SHIBUSA - Site plan
SHIBUSA - Aerial photo (in progress)
SHIBUSA - Main entry motorcourt (rendering)
SHIBUSA - Water garden and lounge area (rendering)
SHIBUSA - Pool and spa (rendering)
SHIBUSA - Rear elevation (rendering)
SHIBUSA - Screen planting at southwest corner of site (rendering)
SHIBUSA - South elevation (rendering)
POLO CLUB ESTATE
LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL (IN PROGRESS) Project Size: 10 Acres Status: In Progress – Approximately 60% complete; Estimated completion Summer 2020 Architect: Dailey Janssen Architects
CONTEXT This 10-acre property is located within the Sarasota Polo Club of Lakewood Ranch, FL. The homeowner approached DWY with a vision for an equestrian estate that would function full-time as a horse training facility, as well as a family compound. The property is ideally located immediately adjacent to the Sarasota Polo Club’s main facilities. DESIGN / PROGRAM - ARCHITECTURE The architectural programming includes the main house, a state of the art barn with stalls for 20 horses, and a detached garage. (See aerial photo of overall site.) DESIGN / PROGRAM - LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE DWY was tasked with programming the site and designing spaces for clients to host after-school and weekend gatherings, as well as formal social events, all within an equine-centric setting. Choreographing circulation throughout the extensive grounds, with an existing native hammock and a preserve to the north, required careful study. The overall plan encompasses vehicular, pedestrian, equipment, and equine movement throughout the property. This includes primary vehicular access, an auto court, and a bridle path circumnavigating the main paddocks. Secondary circulation provides truck and trailer access to the detached garage and barn. The landscape interventions include nine grazing paddocks; a jumping/training arena; a north lawn terrace overlooking the preserve; and an interpretive nature trail that winds through the mesic hammock. Other site interventions include a beach-entry pool with a large spa and shallow lounge area; a sculpture plinth west of the pool lawn; a dining pergola and lounge pergola bookending the pool terrace; and a recreational lawn overlooking the jumping arena. (See landscape site plan.)
POLO CLUB ESTATE - Site plan
POLO CLUB ESTATE - Driveway design studies
POLO CLUB ESTATE - Entry design studies
POLO CLUB ESTATE - Aerial photo (in progress)
POLO CLUB ESTATE - Driveway (in progress)
POLO CLUB ESTATE - Site circulation (in progress)
POLO CLUB ESTATE - Pool terrace overlooking the recreational lawn (in progress)
POLO CLUB ESTATE - Dining and lounging pergolas (in progress)
HAMMOCK BAY PARRISH, FL (IN PROGRESS) Project Size: 16 Acres Status: In Progress – Approximately 50% complete Estimated completion June, 2020 Architect: Stofft Cooney Architects
CONTEXT Prior to the economic downturn of 2006-07, this 16-acre property was zoned for up to 30 half-acre home sites. During the recovery, the current owner purchased the property from the bank with the intent of building a family estate. Tucked within a natural alcove on the Manatee River the property had already been cleared of much of its natural existing landscape to accommodate the 30 home sites that were never built. DESIGN / PROGRAM - ARCHITECTURE The architectural programming for the estate includes a 16,000 sf main house— carefully sited to take advantage of the expansive river views from the middle of the property; a 3,700 sf pool house sited at the river bank; and a barn along the river inlet. The site plan also accommodates for two future structures— a motherin-law house and, at the south point of the site, a boathouse. (See aerial photo of overall site.) DESIGN / PROGRAM - LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE DWY was tasked with creating a family haven that could also serve as a venue for political fund-raising events, accommodating 100 guests or more. DWY addressed the practical challenges of circulation with the design of vehicular and pedestrian paths allowing 50-60 automobiles and 100+ guests to arrive and depart fluidly. An integrated valet service allows all cars to be tucked out of the way, but on-site, during each event. Other design interventions include a winding entry drive that passes through a created wetland–the namesake “hammock”—that takes advantage of views to the river; a helicopter pad with the Hammock Bay insignia; a boat launch with a secondary drive to the pool house; the main entry court flanked by elegant, low-profile water gardens; a rear terrace lawn with a pavilion, a water garden & wet-wall, and a dedicated event lawn; and terraced seating with a fire-wall, bocce ball court, badminton/croquet fields, a sculpture garden, and a treehouse. A 3,000 sf slot-edge pool with spa, shallow lounge and lap lane is sited at the river’s edge, on axis with the pool house. (See landscape site plan.)
HAMMOCK BAY - Site plan
HAMMOCK BAY - Aerial photo (in progress)
HAMMOCK BAY - Entry driveway (in progress)
HAMMOCK BAY - Main entry court (in progress)
HAMMOCK BAY - Main entry water garden (in progress)
HAMMOCK BAY - Secondary circulation (in progress)
HAMMOCK BAY - Terrace water garden (in progress)
HAMMOCK BAY - Rear terrace lawn (in progress)
HAMMOCK BAY - Pool terrace and pool house (in progress)
HAMMOCK BAY - Pool and rear lawn terraces (in progress)
HAMMOCK BAY - Slot-edge pool and spa (in progress)
FISH CAMP JEWFISH KEY, FL
Project Size: 2.5 Acres Status: Completed 2018 Recognition: 2018 FLASLA Design Award of Honor
CONTEXT On this 38-acre island in the Intracoastal Waterway off Longboat Key, nearly half the land is dedicated to a conservation easement. Adjacent to the protected acreage, this family retreat is one of only six residences on the island. The owners were looking for a unique family compound that would function as a weekend gathering place and accommodate the lifestyles of their two active teenage boys. At the outset of the project, however, the site was overrun with invasive exotics. With a strong environmental ethos, the invasives were removed and mitigated with native species, and the site was transformed into a family retreat focused on the iconic Florida lifestyle. DESIGN / PROGRAM - ARCHITECTURE The cypress-clad home’s open-plan and wide porches inherently draw the coastal landscape in. The architectural programming includes the expansion of an existing bungalow, perched on the western edge of the island; a detached master suite and guest room addition; a new kitchen; and a large screened porch. (See aerial photo of overall site.) DESIGN / PROGRAM - LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE The owners wanted a family retreat destination that “looked like it sprang up out of the woods,” recalling childhood memories from summers spent at a friend’s lake cottage. With two growing teenage boys, the owners also wanted a place where memories could be forged around mainstays of the Florida lifestyle– campfires, fishing, swimming, boating…a place of exploration and discovery. The landscape interventions, each carefully sited on this expansive site to encourage such exploration, include the pool & spa, beach-side fire-pit, a basketball court, pedestrian circulation, an open lawn that overlooks the adjacent preserve, a palm grove, and a fruit and vegetable garden. (See landscape site plan.)
FISH CAMP - Site plan
FISH CAMP - Bird’s eye view
FISH CAMP - Pool deck and beach-side fire pit
FISH CAMP - Recreational lawn
FISH CAMP - Bird’s eye view of pool deck
COASTAL MODERN BOCA GRANDE, FL
Project Size: 1.25 Acres Status: Completed 2011 Architect: Thomas and Denzinger Architects Recognition: 2012 FLASLA Design Award of Honor
CONTEXT This winter residence on Gasparilla Island–a tight-knit residential community off the Gulf Coast of Florida–draws on the natural elements of water, wind, and light to generate a palpable sense of place. One of the primary goals of the landscape architect was to integrate the landscape throughout each aspect of the experience. The landscape architect carried a rich and consistent material palette from the grade level up into the amenity deck. The home is grounded in nature. By enticing the residents to come outside using the play of shade and shadow on the glass-tiled pool, or the tactile appeal of lush planting in cut stone vessels, the landscape architect worked towards the goal of reconnecting the residents with nature. Through collaboration with the architect and careful site analysis, the landscape architect furthered this goal through the programming of the exterior spaces and facilitating fluid circulation throughout the home and amenity areas.
DESIGN / PROGRAM The natural forces of this beach-front setting—the tides of the Gulf and the coastal winds—are what attract residents and tourists year-round. The same forces, along with the sensitive dune ecology, presented two pragmatic challenges to the landscape architect and architect: how to create a family haven that will withstand these forces of nature and meet design standards for coastal construction, and how to do so in a way that minimizes the impact on the natural place. The architecture, along with the hardscape, deck, and pool, was subject to stringent environmental restrictions and structural requirements, including withstanding hurricane-force winds, scour, and storm surge. The delicate aesthetic of the building and the tactile appeal of the landscape and site elements belie the substantial structure and carefully specified components that support each system. The result is a durable and lush setting for the family and future generations to enjoy. Situated between the Gulf of Mexico and a brackish lagoon, and spanning a densely developed residential street, one design challenge was how to create a sanctuary that is separate from the neighboring homes, while sparking a clear sense of arrival. The strategy for this started with the re-nourishment of the native contexts–the dune at the west end and the mangrove shoreline at the east. Existing native sea oats and seagrapes were supplemented, and give way to dense planting along the tight side setbacks. The result is a cultivated site nestled within the native place. Areca palms, Chinese fan palms, and Seabreeze bamboo provide visual screening, as well as a natural backdrop to the living spaces. This gives the sense that the site is more expansive than it actually is. The house consists of two pavilions that flank the amenity deck. The pool, outdoor dining, outdoor shower, and a sleeping porch are visible from all vantage points on the main living level, with sightlines that look past the dune. These ever-present connections to nature serve to elevate the owners’ overall sense of wellbeing.
CONNECTIONS At the grade level, the east-west boardwalk that links the beach and dune to the house, and the house to the lagoon, is interrupted by a natural stone and grass motor court. The limestone paving continues across the road, to the boardwalk at the lagoon. Here, the homeowners can drop their rowing shells for recreational practice. The native mangroves were supplemented with coconut palms and gumbo limbos with wart fern below. On this ecologically sensitive site, all development was highly regulated by the Florida Building Code and FEMA guidelines for coastal construction. The most impactful effect of this was the elevation of the habitable space above base flood elevation. The architecture–inherently separated from the ground plane—is nevertheless immersed in an idyllic landscape. Supported on a grid of deep-pile foundations that ensure the main structure can withstand the potential scour effect and hurricane-force winds, the grade level spaces are primarily defined by landscape. The “found space” below the house is illuminated with natural light filtering through the acrylic-bottomed pool. The element of water connects the two architectural pavilions, luring visitors up a spiral staircase to the deck. Shade-loving plants in vessels and epiphytes attached to the screen walls erase the boundaries between architecture and landscape.
A PALPABLE SENSE OF PLACE The dense limestone used in the motor court was cut smooth on the driving surface, with the edges left natural for the grass to grow up against. The use of the material and the striking aesthetic of its installation reflects the Karst topography—the natural geologic formation of limestone strata of Florida’s aquifer system. From the road, the pool deck and elevated plantings are visible between the architectural pavilions. The landscape palette is intentionally lush, layering complementary textures and scales. The immersion into the landscape encourages continued contact with nature. The pool, which allows natural light to pass through to the space below the home, is defined as its own outdoor room by a pergola set on its structural beam. These
elements are at once of the landscape and the architecture, further blurring the line between indoors and out. The pergola provides shade from the intense Florida sun, while native thatch and buccaneer palms, paired with other salt and wind tolerant species create a comfortable and protected microclimate. While issues of environmental sensitivity and durability were the driving forces at the large scale, the execution and level of finish of the details–those parts of the project that the residents come in close contact with—are what heighten the experiential qualities of the place. At the corner of an elevated spa, the water spills into a thin slot between the vessel and the shellstone deck. This crisp detail speaks to the clarity of the architecture and contrasts with the organic landscape and natural hardscape. Natural details—such as a planter of rough-cut oolite limestone, anchor the edge of the pool, again juxtaposing the rustic and refined details. In an open-air sleeping porch at the southwest corner of the deck, a thin-profile bed is suspended from the porch ceiling, overlooking the natural dune. The rich hardscape and landscape ground the coastal architecture in this place. In turn, the pavilions cradle the heart of the site—the outdoor living spaces. The continuity of details and materials throughout the site, along with the specification of hardscape and infrastructural systems that will endure the harsh coastal environment, ensure this will be the setting for family gatherings for generations.
WATER MANAGEMENT Arrival at the site is marked by two rows of curved coconut palms, distinguishing this node along the otherwise homogenous street. The motor court serves as the foreground to the architecture; it is the front yard as well as the driveway. The landscape architect proposed this permeable green space as an alternate to the standard concrete drive with planting relegated to the perimeter. Given the spatial constraints of the site, coupled with a desire to minimize runoff, a field of dense, regionally-quarried callida limestone was used as a durable vehicular base. Grass threads between the stones, breaking up the hardscape and allowing rainwater to percolate to a cistern below. While all developed sites have a measurable impact on the natural flow of water, the high water table and aging stormwater system at this site made a compelling argument for the use of comprehensive on-site water management infrastructure. The landscape architect developed a system to divert runoff from the built and impervious elements to a cistern below the entry drive. This, in turn, supplies the irrigation system. With an average regional rainfall of 52 inches per year, the cistern is sized so that the system always runs on collected rainwater, netting a zero draw on the municipal water for irrigation.
COASTAL MODERN - Site plan
COASTAL MODERN - Aerial photo
COASTAL MODERN - Entry drive and motorcourt
COASTAL MODERN - Elevated pool deck
COASTAL MODERN - Motorcourt and lagoon boardwalk
COASTAL MODERN - Motorcourt cistern (in progress)
COASTAL MODERN - Site circulation
COASTAL MODERN - Elevated pool deck and detail
COASTAL MODERN - Main entry
COASTAL MODERN - Motorcourt
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