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Carpet of Crushed Gravel
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Landscape and Structure Raised Above the Floodplain
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Specimen Olives Anchoring the Planar Landscape
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Piers Extending As Outdoor Rooms
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Piers Defining a Stone Wall and Rubble Providing a Transition
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Central Courtyard With Gravel Rings For Wheelchair Access
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Pear Trees Near a Sunken Courtyard and Flush Reflecting Pool
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Watercolor Plans of Walden Studios
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Cor-ten Ramp Lit From Below By Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) That Illuminate Slits In the Steel
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B ro okvale Residence
location: Hillsborough, California site area: ¾ acre completion date: 2003
In the Brookvale Residence, a series of thoughtfully considered gestures orchestrate movement through the landscape. The journey begins with a sense of disorientation, as the predictable suburban environs are left behind with the click of the garden door. The visitor meanders up an entry path and through blocks of densely planted horsetail. Tall reedy stems surround you, obscuring views of the arrival courtyard and front door. Cochran’s intent was to create a mazelike experience, where you must feel your way to the destination, focusing closely on the smooth white pavement underfoot and brushing against the dark upright plants. Unaware of being led by the
Plants
path, you arrive at the small courtyard planted with Japanese maples at the heart of the interior.
Acer palmatum
At its core, water bubbles up through a cube of cool limestone. The courtyard’s height and depth
Anemone x hybrida
are roughly equal resulting in a calmly reassuring space, like the rooms of a Palladian villa.
Chimonobambusa quadrangularis
The datum of the house is set by the fountain and extends outward, encompassing the large
Equisetum hyemale
pool terrace, which floats approximately twenty inches above grade. By holding the terrace at this
Euphorbia amygdaloides ‘Mrs. Robb’s bonnet’
consistent elevation, the viewer is positioned high enough to see into the distance, eclipsing
Ginkgo biloba ‘Fairmont’
views of the middle ground and capturing views of the neighboring golf course.
Hakonechloa macra
The design eliminates the need for steps between the front entry, courtyard, and pool
Helleborus argutifolius
terrace. The gently sloping path and repetition of limestone pavement inside and outside of the
Juncus patens
house affords a seamless integration of interior and exterior. Walking is intended to be as effortless
Lonicera hildebrandiana
as possible, allowing visitors to experience sensory and visual aspects of the landscape. The
Magnolia x soulangeana
journey prompts an unusual sequence of feelings: disorientation, calm, and finally a meditative
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’
absorption in the distant prospect.
Miscanthus transmorrisonensis Phormium tenax ‘Atropurpureum’ Phyllostachys nigra Pleioblastus pygmaea Quercus agrifolia
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Limestone Pool Terrace Designed to Be Flush with Finished Floor
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Linear Panels of Horsetail Forming a Mazelike Path
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Plan of Brookvale Residence
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Trellised Walls and Sliding Door to Screen the Driveway from the Central Courtyard 53
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Central Courtyard Featuring a Limestone Fountain