This West Vancouver Landscape Design project was an extreme challenge, as it was mainly comprised of steep rocky outcroppings sloped towards the water of Howe Sound in West Vancouver.
To navigate the site, you actually had to climb down rock faces as there were no stairs to access the back of the home where the landscape renovations were to take place.
The backyard did have a small concrete pad, but its size eliminated the possibility of any gatherings or outdoor living, and also seemed very disconnected from the landscape.
Concept Generation
Initial landscape designs revolved around making the site more practical for getting around as well as creating multiple spaces for outdoor living, and entertaining.
Solution
The finalized scale landscape design plans were developed to make the entire site very navigable, create an overall cohesive theme, as well as provide multiple options for outdoor living and entertaining from intimate spaces to room for large parties.
A fire pit was one of the individual features proposed as the focal point for a smaller space within the landscape. The fire-pit has been designed to fit into one of the natural stone outcroppings, allowing a very naturalized look.
Implementation
The construction has been extremely difficult on such a steep slope as machines are not able to access the back of the property.
Most of the larger materials actually had to be craned into the property via crane trucks operating off of barges. Tides, winds and ferry waves all were factors to consider when timing lifts off of the barge.
Almost all larger materials had to come into the site from the water.
Completion
This West Vancouver landscape design now has access and flow through the entire site, allowing every difficult area to be traversed, as well as multiple entertaining and outdoor living spaces.
A strong landscape design theme was established for the site balancing the rugged coastal beauty of the property with the Asian influenced style of the home.
The curvilinear hand carved concrete patios on the main level have been anchored to the existing outcroppings as well as cantilevered out over the rocks to allow for a very sizable increase in the outdoor living spaces.
The patios now have a sense of connections with the surrounding landscape. In many locations the patios were actually formed into the exiting outcroppings, as well as wrapped with native Brohm stone retaining walls for enclosure, and additional seating.
Stone staircases now greet your feet as you travel throughout the property, with multiple terraced levels providing amble planting space for suitable coastal ornamentals, as well as multiple varieties of native species.
Two decks have also been designed in a curvilinear fashion to contour to the rocky outcroppings and once again maintain a strong connection with the surrounding landscape.
This project is the recipient of the Canadian National Award of Landscape Excellence, the highest honour for landscape design and construction in Canada!
