Living the Dream
Larkspur, California
Status: Built
John Hreno’s work at Terra Ferma Landscapes
A dialogue between architecture and place, inspired by trees. The structure of the house mimics the surrounding oaks—their limbs extending horizontally from solid trunks—so that architecture and landscape align with elegant effect.
Stairs and rail float down the hill
Meandering path through drifts of native grasses and wildflowers
Mountain view beneath ancient oak
Spa and wellness pavilion
Planted walls enclosing the garden
Fire table with pool and forest view
Glass and mirror walls at terraced rain garden
Flowering sage
Perched on a high mountain ridge in Larkspur, with views of the bay and Mount Tamalpais, this modern residence by Jensen Architects sits amongst bold drifts of grasses, perennials, and wildflowers.
Sliding glass panels retract completely into the home's core, drawing the surrounding ridge and planting into the rooms themselves.
The result is a dwelling that grows from its ridge like the oaks around it, dissolving the boundary between the built and the natural.
Project year
2013
Status
Built
John’s role
Landscape and garden design lead, documentation, project management, and planting layout
Project area
0.8 acres
Client
Private
Landscape elements
Concrete paving, gabion and fieldstone walls, wood slat cabana, swimming pool, fire pit, ornamental grasses, flowering sage
Architecture
Jensen Architects
Interiors
Nicole Hollis
Photography
Mariko Reed
Pool builder
Tropicana Pools and Spas
Recognition
Awards
- 2015 AIA California Council Honor Award (Jensen Architects)
- International Design Awards: Honorable Mention
Selected publications
San Francisco Cottages and Gardens, Hauser, Wallpaper*
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