MERIT AWARD

Represents superior accomplishment in the profession of landscape architecture.

BASAL

“Great use of materials and design in a tight space with grade change. Great detailing. The sculptural wall is exceptional!”

— ASLA Oregon Awards Jury

CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND

A new renovation of an historic home in Park City had just been completed and, while pleased with the outcome of the home’s redevelopment, the new owner was dissatisfied with the lack of foresight from the architect and developer and builder regarding anything outside the building shell.

FINISHED VIEW

The neighboring lot was acquired, and plat amended. A new large opening allows the dining area to flow onto the new terrace, a pedestrian-sidewalk connection allows welcoming access for guests while respecting and repairing the Historic retaining wall and the streetscape is finally complete.

MASTER PLAN

In response to the Client’s desire for improved circulation and more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors with their family and friends, a triple-terrace format was conceived to take advantage of the existing slope and views.

THREE DIMENSIONAL VIEW

Project modelling, in many iterations, was integral to solving site problems as well as in consultation with the Client to ensure the Client was accepting of the designers vision.

SHADE TREE

Xeric plantings able to mature to scale including a shade tree are integral to contributing to the warmth of the spaces. Contrasting textures between functional (flexible seating), artistic (sculptural wall art) and natural elements create a satisfying composition.

INDOOR OUTDOOR FLOW

A super-sized opening ensures a smooth transition between indoor and outdoor rooms prevails, allows for larger groups of people to circulate and join in the vibrant street scene of a popular resort town. It also increases access to some very expansive historic views.

TERRACE

Intimacy, entertainment, flexibility, and serenity are goals supported by easily-moved furnishings, gas-powered firepit, Designers original artistic wall installation, and contrasting textures.

SCULPTURAL WALL (SHADOW WALL)

The Client’s vision did not include a water feature but rather a visually arresting yet functional sculpture. An original design by the Landscape Architect, the art serves as a necessary wall for privacy yet provides that extra something making these outdoor rooms extraordinary.

UPPER TERRACE WOOD BIN

The wood is needed by the fireplace in a nearby den with access to the upper Terrace. This rear retaining wall has job to do but was designed to provide visual interest and function. The Historic stone was found at nearby quarry.

SPA

The private upper terrace overlaps a shed below multiplying space and includes a Spa. With easy access to the Den and its warming fireplace, and taking in the highest views this terrace is a winner!

PROJECT STATEMENT

We increased the living space of an extant urban row home thru the connection to the landscape and expansion into an undeveloped neighboring lot, providing several outdoor living experiences that elevates the experience, contributes to urban place-making. A serenely built environment softened by nature, made attractive by design, given meaning thru art, improving function and circulation as well as increase storage and simplifying maintenance. The Landscape Architect was the Owner’s Representative and primary consultant.

Playful while practical use of materials and textures
Fit within Historic District context while creating a modern space
Low maintenance with year-round interest in unforgiving winter climate

PROJECT NARRATIVE

Park City, like many mountain towns enjoys a natural beauty punctuated by the diverse seasonal interests. This fact inspired the Owner’s of this town home to create a space that would encourage more time spent in the outdoors whilst at home. This historic home newly remodeled in 2013, appealed to the Owners due to its high-quality craftsmanship and modern simplistic design aesthetic. However, the problem of town homes is exterior space, with 3’ side yards and 10’ front and rear yards the neighboring lot (25’x75’) was acquired to make room for more room.

The design must adapt a home poised towards the street to one that could lay-out onto the new side-yard. Opening this existing home to the flank required a plat amendment and structural considerations but was only the beginning of the challenges to be faced. The Owner’s favored a minimalistic aesthetic. Amangiri Resort Utah being an inspiration mentioned in the brief. However, this home is registered as a Historic home so the new design would require approvals from several reviewing bodies to maintain that characteristic. Creating an interesting style seeking a minimalistic feel with historic materials and forms that can be located elsewhere in Old Town resulted in a unique appeal.

The Design team was tasked with creating a personalized art installation that would add interest and movement to the space. The Owner vetoed the use of water for this element. The Designer’s approach was to capture the play of shadows throughout the day and season to provide this movement. This would require textural variation. What became deemed the “shadow wall” was inspired by tilting the topographical relief of Park City Mountain Resort vertical onto a wall. The use of wooden posts sustainably harvested from dead-fall Alaskan yellow cedar created the matrix that contrasts the modern (digital-pixel layout) to the rustic materials This geometric pattern with all its lines is nestled to the ground surrounded by contrasting color and texture of the Sea Foam Artemisia. The result is quite magical, and a serendipitous moment occurs in the winter as snow is retained on the jutting posts accentuating the pattern and softening the lines when little sun and shadow is present.

A large native tree to serve as a focal point on the patio from the new opening in the home was also a must for this project. This tree must do triple duties as well. Shade the patio, screen the neighbor’s home. For this task we found a large Acer ginnala would be perfect. Though not a Utah native this tree held some significance in its origin to the owner, which increased its appeal. The organic forms and light bark of the multi-trunk juxtaposed with the geometry of the shadow wall are exactly what we desired for contrast. To sweeten the opportunity this patio tree’s habitat was primed with the use of “Silva-Cell’s” and slot drains in the suspended pavement above. The stormwater from the home is sustainably directed and stored or percolated in this tree well below the patio. To demark the structure below on the surface of the patio and integrate drains aesthetically, we used a Natina stain on the concrete. This with a saw-cut and slot drain pattern give the look and feel of rustic steel plating.

To frame the spaces, we chose to use large rectangular walls. Board form concrete has a precedent in Old town Park City as a historic material. We also used local stone to clad some of the walls. Carefully considering the overlap of one wall to the next, and the transition of one material to the next was the key to keeping the spaces simple yet interesting. One unifying feature of these walls was to implement a wooden cap on concrete and stone walls, designed with a historic profile. These molded caps serve as counterspace for glasses and plates during frequent parties on the patio. These wooden caps were also made of the Alaskan yellow Cedar.

A large spa on the upper terrace sits just outside the reading den in the house and over the new shed. Flanked by a wood-box containing the split wood needed for the interior wood stove, the Spa rests astride the back wall of the shed below to balance space for storage of patio furniture and mechanical room below with deck, garden and patio above. We chose to use basalt as the decking around the spa to maximize the storage of heat. Average temperatures in the summer are 65-70 on the north side of the home. Its black color absorbs the sun’s rays during the day, releasing heat at night when the spa is most often used. We opted to utilize the same design of glass railing on the interior stairway on this spa patio, and do not know who to credit for that element.

All the furnishings for the project are custom designed to fit within the new shed. The Stackable box modular seats also have the ability for the top cushion to flip over and serve as a table, or storage box. They can be carried up or down the wide stairway quite easily or lined up as a bench against the Board form wall adjacent the dining space on the main patio. Yellow cedar and Olive drab “sunbrella” fabric was used to upholster the cushions.

During the project the Owner contributed with some adaptions to the original design including a backrest on the board-form wall by the dining patio. We used linear boards, that pinch the cushions between them. These cushions are easily removed and fit within the modular seating. The integration of a “green-egg” to the outdoor kitchen was also requested. Those were the only two changes during construction.

All elements were seamlessly designed, to integrate with the home and the historic nature of the neighborhood, while still injecting a minimal appeal for the Owner!