April was National Landscape Month and the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), Connecticut Chapter, announced the winners of its annual Connecticut Design Awards competition to recognize excellence in landscape architecture design. Richard Bergmann Architects, New Canaan, has received an award for the “Bend-in-the-Road Landscape” entry for a project on Hollow Tree Ridge Road in Darien.
Bergmann’s design focused on engaging an historic house with the land and the land with the house. A specific challenge was to draw visitors to the front door instead of entering through the kitchen. The original driveway led straight to a detached barn/garage and guest parking area behind the house, near the kitchen entry. The problem was solved by creating a four-foot high fieldstone linear wall and planting a row of tall columnar Hornbeam trees which reinforce the architectural features of the home with its row of pillars framing the front porch. The wall and trees separate public and private spaces, screening the kitchen entry and creating a obvious path to the front door.
Another major goal was to solve safety issues, entering and departing from a blind driveway on a major bend in the road. This was resolved by relocating the driveway. A new semi circular drive was created, incorporating a large circular guest parking and turnaround area near the front door. Honoring “green” design guidelines, the pre-existing asphalt was replaced with gravel, allowing storm water to recharge the site. Overhead wires were buried underground. A redesigned swimming pool and terrace completed the landscape project.
This landscape design by Richard Bergmann Architects of New Canaan, including a relocated driveway, won an award in the American Institute of Landscape Architects, CT Chapter annual competition.