Cliff Road

Private Residence

This project started with a bare flat site on top of a hill. Our marching orders were simple. Make this moonscape beautiful, functional, and responsive to the site. We carved the existing grades to form the sunken courtyard and the raised vegetable beds. The front entry is level with the parking, and future vegetable gardens are up on a raised terrace.
It’s designed and built for an ambassador to some far off land. But when her family is in the States, they need a place to entertain. Enter Cliff Road. They decided to implement in phases, and these photos show phase one. A fountain is slated for the center of the courtyard, a 6′ x 8′ square seat-wall that’s 18″ tall, with water at the interior and three jets spouting four more feet into the air. You can see its outline in the stone paving. At first they thought about a swimming pool (shown in the sketch below), but we agreed on an extensive vegetable garden to align with their agrarian roots

Collaboration

Architects: Chip Webster Architecture
General Contractor: Steve Reposa
Landscape Contractor: Ferrantella Landscaping
Total Project Cost: $217k

Gracious Entry

A gathering spot before the front door allow visitors to compose themselves before joining the festivities.

A Place to Entertain

With seat walls all around, there’s room to mingle and sit to catch up.

Steps Up To...

The vegetable garden is slated for the upper terrace, just lawn as of the time of this photo.

Prior Condition

We started with a sand pit, but soon found the spirit of the place, and it worked.

An Early Sketch

I’m gratified they decided to go with the extensive gardens over the swimming pool. Growing your own food is so much more self-reliant.

Project Lead

David Bartsch

Very difficult project. David was creative, reliable, and technically expert. We did not get a second quote, David was it.

S. Matarese

Business Administrator | Medical Practice