Dry + Modern

Dry + Modern by Wildwood Landscapes + Design Located in Marin County, at a time when the community is vibrant and full of life, 'Dry + Modern' is an exceptional landscape designed by Wildwood Landscapes + Design, which successfully splices together contemporary forms and sustainable practices. The landscaping engages several Bay Area communities - Albany, Berkeley, Oakland, and beyond - by using a highly underutilized outdoor space as a stunning new lifestyle platform that combines with Marin's Mediterranean climate. At the forefront of this design are drought-tolerant plants such as native grasses, succulents, and ornamental shrubs selected for their beauty and drought tolerance, as well as indigenous California plant species known for fostering local wildlife and enhancing aesthetic beauty. 'Dry + Modern' promotes a modern layout with clean lines and geometric shapes that create an engaging and comfortable outdoor environment. This program is enhanced by a porous gravel pathway running the length of the landscape, and a comfortable and stylish entertainment area. The use of corten steel planters and sustainably-sourced hardwood decking promote the area's contemporary aesthetic and durability. A particular challenge on site was a modest movement to design the landscape around the existing site grade with gravitational and soil management mechanisms. To this end, a bio-swale was skillfully incorporated into the design and water management mechanisms, each using natural filtration. Here the site level was solved, which promotes sustainability while addressing any pre-existing problems with erosions. The final product becomes a literal extension of modernist aesthetics and experience, again with an eye for natural and sustainable need. The client was thrilled with the end result and said the made particular successful use of their landscape becoming a stylish development option that would appeal to their modern lifestyle and the current societal condition. Wildwood Landscapes + Design has again set forth another exciting element in landscaping, and as capable designers, achieved in this work that feels embedded, modern, and pertinent to the local community structure that showcases the existing beauty of a future transition in sustainable design approaches in the Bay Area.