Landscape Relationship in Sierra Madre

Swimming Pool Construction
Sierra Madre

This project serves as an excellent example of how to integrate various functional areas in a landscape, ensuring they relate harmoniously to each other. Situated on a long and relatively narrow lot, the property presents multiple distinct areas, yet they are skillfully tied together using a consistent palette of materials—most notably, brick paving and siding. This material unification mirrors the musical principle of repetition, where recurring themes provide coherence and structure to a composition.

As you drive up to the property, the journey begins with a brick-accented port cochere, setting the tone for the design language that unfolds. Passing a stately oak tree and a beautiful lawn framed by colorful shrubs, the eye is drawn to the front of the house, where brick stairs and siding create a harmonious introduction. Continuing around the home, brick planters and brick-edged walkways guide the visitor seamlessly into the space, allowing the materials to lead the way, much like the rhythm in music, which provides a natural flow from one movement to the next.

Entering the long and narrow backyard, one is greeted by brick planters and walls paired with stunning bluestone paving bordered in brick. This strategic use of materials not only creates a visual rhythm but also offers balance between the hard and soft elements of the design, much like the interplay of melody and harmony in a musical piece.

Beyond the pool, your gaze is drawn to the brick steps leading up to a formal New Orleans-style pergola. Here, a solid wall of brick encloses the space, providing structure and intimacy, much like a dramatic crescendo in a musical score. Nearby, a newly constructed brick fire pit serves as a focal point, offering warmth and a social gathering space.

As you continue through the landscape, a beautiful brick bathhouse comes into view, followed by a grand children’s play area where the lawn is framed by a brick header, tempered with a timber tie retaining wall and another brick planter. On the surface, it might seem as though there is an abundance of brick, but this repetition is balanced by lush plantings and thoughtful design, creating a cadence of balance and contrast as you move through each section of the garden. The various areas are spaced and interconnected by bluestone walkways and a gently flowing stream that adds soothing sound and movement, much like a quiet passage in a musical composition, offering moments of reflection.

The landscape invites curiosity and anticipation, as each section transitions to the next, much like the dynamic changes in a piece of music. There is a sense of discovery—what lies behind the next structure or around the next corner? Where will this journey take me?

The heavy use of brick comes from the original builder of the home. Our role was to enhance this material relationship while softening its dominance to create balance, much like a composer would introduce a subtle modulation to prevent monotony without losing the integrity of the original theme. The selection of brick as a unifying material, allowed the different areas and functions of the landscape to connect seamlessly, just as repeating motifs in music help unify disparate sections of a composition. In this way, the brick serves as the landscape’s chorus, subtly changing in tone and context but always present, providing a sense of continuity.

This approach to using a unifying material is akin to the way a composer might employ a repeating chorus, bridge, or coda to create cohesion in a complex piece of music. Modulations or dramatic switches within the composition allow other features to take center stage while still remaining anchored to the original theme.

Our clients’ vision was to enhance their beautiful New Orleans-style home and landscape, creating a cohesive, functional, and aesthetically pleasing environment that reflects their lifestyle. The result is a space that not only complements the architecture of the home but also harmonizes with the natural elements, much like the way the principles of art and music come together to create a unified, emotionally resonant experience.