GLASS HOUSE GARDEN

Acquisition of an Isamu Noguchi sculpture prompted a fresh look at this dramatic Rob Wellington Quigley-designed beach house. The design program consisted of creation of a garden inevitably impacted by salty ocean air, the need for low maintenance and the acceptance of the new location of the sculpture. Upon careful study by LGLA, the preferred scheme relocated the 8-ton Noguchi, making the sculpture the focus of the garden - to the pleasure of the art collector client. The simple, durable plant palette, consisting of bamboo and tree ferns, frames the courtyard and provides a foil for the sculpture and the house. Groundcovers provide textural interest and seasonal color. The materials used in the courtyard - stone, concrete and wood - echo those of the house. Buff beach pebbles, used for bands in the garden pavement, allow for water percolation. The garden was recognized with the 2001 American Society of Landscape Architects, Southern California Chapter Award for creating a garden compatible with the house and for creating a serene setting for the Noguchi sculpture.