Our clients wanted to turn a tumbledown hillside in Woodside, California, into a contemporary setting for hosting parties, entertaining and recreation. The site had panoramic views and beautiful established oaks, but was too steep and overgrown to be usable.
Vera Gates, the lead landscape architect on the project, designed a series of contemporary terraces that respect the natural siting of the oak trees and create dramatic views. The terraces create intimate groupings for small gatherings that quickly open up into large and expansive spaces, for parties for hundreds of guests. Paths meander through the garden to well-considered areas for recreation, such as the bocce ball court and the stables for the horses.
An indoor/outdoor fireplace is a focal point when evening falls and illuminated rows of trees lead the family back to the destination pool house. We worked with architecture Ross Dotter of Dotter & Solfjeld Architects to incorporate the rustic vernacular of the barn and the pool house with a beautiful, contemporary agrarian landscape.
Photography by Michele Lee Willson