Cambridge House Cambridge , Massachusetts
Design — Residential
MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM LANDSCAPE DESIGN
The intentional contrasts between this striking minimalist home and its surrounding urban woodland landscape reinvent a decaying , overgrown property with a significantly perched water table . By most standards , this urban lot had too many limitations . The new owners saw exceptional opportunities to build an environmentally conscientious property that fully embraced family-focused , human-scaled , outdoor living spaces . They desired a home that could blend elements of their coastal retreat in Maine , with the realities of living in contemporary Cambridge .
A carefully composed matrix of hand-picked , reclaimed granite curb stones provides fantastic new terraces and walks around the house that have immediate character . The same granite pieces give form to a continuous stone and lawn staircase spanning the entire width of the rear yard . New wood fencing provides privacy while buffering unwanted street noise away from the home . Repeating masses of moisture-loving vegetation quickly take hold . The vibrant new woodland , replete with rugged and adaptive plants , commands attention along a busy pedestrian and bicycle route in the heart of the neighborhood .
MERIT AWARD / BSLA
Boston Society of Landscape Architects Fieldbook
Photo | Jane Messinger Photography
135