Four examples will be presented to illustrate how architectural character of the house can be incorporated into a designer’s thought process and design studies. Each figure depicts how (1) a patio, (2) a fence/wall, and (3) an overhead structure could be designed to reflect the architectural character of the house. It is assumed at this point in
the process that the major design theme and forms have been selected. So, the designer’s next step is to create the vertical and overhead structures in an architecturally sensitive manner and to be reflective of the form composition.
In Figure 11—104, the patio was generally modeled after the major front window. The arch is the key accent of the patio layout. The majority of material could be concrete or stone to match the patterns of the windowpanes.
The wall is made of brick and changes direction and elevation to reflect the angles of the roofs of the house. This allows for some strong privacy to the right side of the yard, where it might be needed, and more open space to the left, where views are important. An arched entryway provides an accent to the low wall. The circular opening in the high wall provides a view into a pleasing area beyond. It mimics the character of the decorative vent above the garage door.
The overhead arbor was designed to have simple repetitive arches, similar to the main entry arch. It would be supported by columns that would have some detail taken from some of the interior or exterior trim work.
A much different house is pictured in Figure 11—105, so it is likely that the three hardscape structures would look much different than the previous ones. Because of its height and contrasting colors, the large gable on the second floor is a strong architectural feature. As you can see, the patio was designed to resemble this gable pattern. The edges of the patio could be landscape timbers that are stained to match the wood trim on the house. The light-colored material could be concrete to match the stucco in color and texture, or concrete pavers with a light color. The central portion of the patio is an accented area reflecting the window area. In this example, a basket-weave brick pattern at a 45-degree angle was selected.
The fence is modeled after three elements. The lower portion is a paneled system that reflects the panels of wood and stucco on the house. The wooden open
Fene/eote
grillwork above the fence is meant to be similar to the windows of the house. This type of grillwork can serve as an excellent structure for growing vines. The gated area is reflective of the window patterns and the peaked roof.
The design for the overhead structure was related specifically to the entry way detail at the front of the house. The small, curved brackets reflect the same brackets seen as detail just beneath the large second-story gable.
Figure 11—106 shows another example. The major patio spaces were designed to reflect the double gable to the left side of the house. The top level is a stone terrace that steps down to a wood deck, which then steps down to the lawn area. The stone and wood patterns are used in a very similar fashion to how they are used on the front of the house.
The privacy fence extends from one end to the other. It is constructed of material and color similar to the horizontal wood siding on the house. A window box with plants was placed on it to resemble the window box on the front window of the house. The fence was also designed to have an accent area, in this case a place to grow
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some vines. This area was accented by using the arch from the front porch and a grill – work to match the windowpane pattern.
The overhead gazebo was developed from the design of the arches on the front porch, including the columns. The roof was made into a hip roof to reflect both angles of the roof.
The last example to illustrate architectural attention in the spatial composition phase is shown in Figure 11—107. Here the patio was designed to reflect the major window designs in the front of the house. The patio might be made of concrete, and the banding and borders could be brick to match the brick on the house. Even though the major windows have large wood members as borders to the window, that doesn’t mean the patio has to be done in the same way. Again, landscape structures can be modeled after a feature to whatever degree the designer feels it could be or in whatever way that seems appropriate to the materials being used.
Brick is used to create a low wall to lean or sit on, as well as for the higher wall to the right. An open, wood grillwork is also used here to provide a place for vines.
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Figure 11-106 The patio, fence, and gazebo are modeled after the character of the house. Design #N2791 (top) © Home Planners, LLC Wholly owned by Hanley-Wood, LLC. Blueprints available, 800-322-6797. |
This will eventually provide a partial view into the space beyond. The wall is angled to a peak to match the peak and pattern of the roofs.
The overhead arbor is a simple structure that uses the exact pattern of the wood eaves and trim work at the major peaks of the house. The arbor is shown to rest on a lower brick wall that could provide for partial enclosure. This, too, is seen at the base of the major windows in front of the house.
Developing the character of the hardscape structures can be an exciting design adventure during the spatial composition phase. Creating floors, walls, and ceilings to have architectural detail that is responsive to the house is something that should be done for all landscape designs, because these are highly visible three-dimensional objects in the landscape. What better way to design these structures than to blend them into the landscape with the same character as the house?
