After turning an abandoned, sloped redwood lot into a layered terraced of reclaimed redwood stairways, tree ferns, and plantings from woodland habitats of the world.
Eichler left his homes un-landscaped, leaving residents to shape their own gardens over time. Many became defined by concrete pads and lawns—flat, open spaces contained like boxes. We undid all that: softening with grasses and perennials, thermal breaks for summer heat, building basalt paths, and extending meadows.
In this backyard near Ocean Beach in San Francisco, we drew from the coastal flora of Australia and New Zealand—species that thrive in our Mediterranean climate.
The client wanted a direct path from bedroom to garden. In place of a broad wood deck, we worked with architect Léa Saito on a metal stair—lean, efficient, and threaded with Akebia quinata; the steel gauged to support the vine as it climbs.
