An innovative design with a focus on architectural integration …
American-based Irish landscape architect James Doyle, founder of James Doyle Design Associates, is known for his award-winning projects in Europe and the US. His forte: creating gardens that juxtapose the designed and the natural. His guiding vision is to create landscapes that help people appreciate the true beauty of nature.
Doyle’s projects have ranged from small urban courtyards to large country estates. Doyle says; “We believe that the art and practice of placemaking begins with an expanded sense of respect and responsibility for our natural communities. Our desire and impetus to connect with the natural environment and recreate ideal landscapes feels more urgent than ever, as we all seek out reflection and quietude from an increasingly chaotic world.”
One of his projects is this mews property from the 1840s. The structure was originally built to stable horses, with accommodation above for staff.
James explains; “We restored a two-storey Georgian wall and linked it to the contemporary addition, with a striking glass bridge. This addition creates a literal intersection and a dynamic amenity for both sides of the property. It simultaneously functions as a gateway between the old and new structures.”
While each of the outdoor spaces serves a distinct function, they are all unified in their common elements of hardscaping and plant material. The front courtyard doubles as a much-needed parking area and features simple plantings that contrast the building’s exterior.
Visitors enter the property through the Georgian wall where a stone pathway, lined with upright hornbeam, leads to the glass facade. A glass wall along the rear of the house provides a clear view of the backyard, which has been enclosed with a privacy fence of still more hornbeam trees.
The entire site spans multiple levels, with the change of grade presenting the opportunity to create several small garden rooms. On the ground level, a stone patio mirrors the angular plane of the new living room wall and leads to an open lawn. Up on the second level of the primary bedroom suite, a gravel path is edged in blocks of iris, lavender and salvia. The design solutions introduce an entirely new narrative that tells the story of a more modern home in the heart of the city.
From Intersection of Art and Nature by James Doyle Design Associates. @jamesdoyledesignassociates
SEE MORE: A Reimagined Georgian Townhouse On Wilton Place In Dublin
