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Carpet of Crushed gravel

3�

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Landscape and Structure Raised Above the Floodplain

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Specimen olives Anchoring the Planar Landscape

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Piers Extending As outdoor Rooms

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Piers Defining a Stone Wall and Rubble Providing a

Transition

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Central Courtyard With gravel Rings For Wheelchair Access

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Pear Trees Near a Sunken Courtyard and Flush Reflecting Pool

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Watercolor Plans of Walden Studios

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4�

Cor-ten Ramp Lit From Below By Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) That Illuminate Slits In the Steel

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BRooKVALE RESIDENCE

location: Hillsborough, California

site area: ¾ acre

completion date: �003

In the Brookvale Residence, a series of thoughtfully considered gestures orchestrate movement

through the landscape. The journey begins with a sense of disorientation, as the predictable

suburban environs are left behind with the click of the garden door. The visitor meanders up

an entry path and through blocks of densely planted horsetail. Tall reedy stems surround you,

obscuring views of the arrival courtyard and front door. Cochran’s intent was to create a mazelike

experience, where you must feel your way to the destination, focusing closely on the smooth white

pavement underfoot and brushing against the dark upright plants. Unaware of being led by the

path, you arrive at the small courtyard planted with Japanese maples at the heart of the interior.

At its core, water bubbles up through a cube of cool limestone. The courtyard’s height and depth

are roughly equal resulting in a calmly reassuring space, like the rooms of a Palladian villa.

The datum of the house is set by the fountain and extends outward, encompassing the large

pool terrace, which floats approximately twenty inches above grade. By holding the terrace at this

consistent elevation, the viewer is positioned high enough to see into the distance, eclipsing

views of the middle ground and capturing views of the neighboring golf course.

The design eliminates the need for steps between the front entry, courtyard, and pool

terrace. The gently sloping path and repetition of limestone pavement inside and outside of the

house affords a seamless integration of interior and exterior. Walking is intended to be as effortless

as possible, allowing visitors to experience sensory and visual aspects of the landscape. The

journey prompts an unusual sequence of feelings: disorientation, calm, and finally a meditative

absorption in the distant prospect.

PLANTS

Acer palmatum

Anemone x hybrida

Chimonobambusa quadrangularis

Equisetum hyemale

Euphorbia amygdaloides ‘Mrs. Robb’s bonnet’

Ginkgo biloba ‘Fairmont’

Hakonechloa macra

Helleborus argutifolius

Juncus patens

Lonicera hildebrandiana

Magnolia x soulangeana

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’

Miscanthus transmorrisonensis

Phormium tenax ‘Atropurpureum’

Phyllostachys nigra

Pleioblastus pygmaea

Quercus agrifolia

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Limestone Pool Terrace Designed to Be Flush with Finished Floor

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Linear Panels of Horsetail Forming a Mazelike Path

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Plan of Brookvale Residence

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5�

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Trellised Walls and Sliding Door to Screen the Driveway from the Central Courtyard

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Central Courtyard Featuring a Limestone Fountain