PaMela Burton lanDscaPes

Foreword by Robert A. M. Stern

Princeton Architectural Press

New York

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7 Foreword

9 Introduction

I. Influences & strategIes

22 Bonhill Residence

36 Colton Avenue Streetscape,

University of Redlands

42 Cantitoe Farm

52 Ashley Ridge Residence

62 Calabasas Civic Center

II. Water & fIre

70 Palm Canyon Residence

78 School of the Arts Plaza,

University of California, Irvine

86 Scenario Lane Residence

94 Santa Monica Public Library

102 Red Tail Ranch

112 Sante Fe Industrial Complex

III. recent Work

124 La Mesa Residence

134 Santa Monica Business Center

142 Malibu Beach House

152 East Fork Residence

160 Happy Canyon Ranch

170 São Paulo Esplanade

183 Acknowledgments

184 Project Credits

186 Chronology

189 Selected Bibliography

190 Studio Profile

192 Staff List

192 Image Credits

Contents

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Bonhill Residence Brentwood, California

My longest ongoing project is for a client whose house is perched on a hill overlooking the Westside of Los Angeles and has a thirty-foot grade change from the house to the bott om of the property. Th e goal was to turn the hilly terrain into a four-level garden linked by a stone stairway.

At the top, there is a level area for the house. Th e next level is for an offi ce, another for the pool, while the bott om of the property is for two related gardens. Th e garden began with inspi-ration from writer Vita Sackville-West’s celebrated Sissinghurst Castle Garden. From Sackville-West’s tower, one can see two parallel hedges in the garden. Th e big idea was to link the house and the garden below by creating a stair paved with large chunks of stone. In the process, we cut the sloped hillside into two parts and created outdoor rooms that are bifurcated by two parallel hedges on either side of the path.

Th e hedges keep the view contained; one cannot see out until reaching the landings. At the third level there’s an empty room and a full room. Th e full room was designed to be a citrus grove, but the soil wasn’t suitable. It evolved into a sculpture garden with a wonderful garden folly designed by architectMichael Palladino. We planted Wisteria var. and grapes on the folly, and it has grown to become a shaded resting place.

A piece by artist Richard Long, called Hollywood Circle, fi lls a large circle with head-size boulders from the Four Corners area. Th e empty room became a badminton lawn set next to an early cor-ten steel piece by Richard Serra; it is a beautiful space that is used, not just observed. I knew that over time there would be incremental additions, so the main diagram for the garden was designed to be strong and fl exible enough to accommodate changes. We are constantly viewing and reviewing, putt ing in and taking out, while undergoing a wonderful process of discovery.

right: Hybrid Bermuda ‘tifgreen’ lawn forms the badminton court, contrasting with the surrounding Marathon sod.

opposite: The stone path leading away from the herb garden to the Richard Long piece

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top: Melaleuca amaryllis frames the front door.

bottom: From the teak deck, a view of the terraces below

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Site plan of Bonhill Residence1 Parking court2 Deck overlook3 Office garden4 Swimming pool5 Badminton court6 Axial stair and walk7 Robert Therrien sculpture8 Jenny Holzer bench9 Circumambulatory path 10 Richard Serra sculpture 11 Row of pleached sycamores 12 Urn fountain 13 Richard Long sculpture 14 Rill 15 Fruit tree and herb garden

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right: Circumambulatory walking path crossing the axial stair

opposite: At the fi rst landing, which opens to the pool house and gym, the slope is planted with paperbark and sweetgum trees (Melaleuca leucadendron and Liquidambar styracifl ua).

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Overlook from the pool terrace and view of the full room