HIGHGATE
A concept design for a large residential project.
The initial ideas address the different levels of the site and divide the space into functional areas, as according to clients' brief. In the back garden, curved walls enclose the different garden rooms and soften the angular, irregular shape of the plot. The walls also make sense of the stepped levels of the site, carved into the hillside. In turns, they become raised beds, seating or water features.
It was a challenging project, as the whole of the back garden (as we only found out later) is in fact a roof top. We worked in close collaboration with our clients, adapting the scheme as ideas evolved.
In the end, the shapes proposed were built but some of the planting had to change: trees could only be planted in the raised beds, so the birch circle with fireplace was abandoned. Instead, the corten steel water features were scaled up dramatically, becoming unique focal points in the garden. The clients also preferred an exposed brick look for the curved walls rather than the proposed rendered one.
The result is a very original, private and stunning garden.
Click on the images to enlarge.