Perched at the edge of Tank Hill, this garden is an exploration of prospect and refuge—both nestling into and perching above the dramatic topography it calls home. Architectural planes that structure the garden are explorations of the essence of their materials — wood, basalt and limestone. Meant to evoke the geology of the site, monumental basalt-clad retaining walls hold back the hillside and create a dynamic frame for the garden. Striated panels of varied thicknesses are arranged in a relief pattern that is softened by a woodland garden of maples and ferns.

A limestone hearth anchors the garden, accentuated by a series of slots and reveals. Notches on the face of the feature create channels of light punctuated by stone accents that appear to slide vertically along the face of the wall. Horizontal cuts reveal the basalt walls beyond, while a panel of blackened steel slides behind the flame of the linear firepit.

Mirroring the notches and stone blocks of the hearth, wood blocks dance along the vertical face of the cedar wood screen that slips into the treetops above. The woodland palette bleeds into the limestone paving, pulling the garden further into the house. Enlivened by its users, the garden in its totality is a sculptural tapestry of materials both sensual and austere, meant to be explored and engaged on all levels.

Location: San Francisco, CA

Status: Completed 2017

Project Type: Residential

Collaborators: John Maniscalco Architects, Siteworks Landscape

Photography: Marion Brenner, Richard Bloom