Zeterre is recognized in Sunset Magazine

This month's Sunset Magazine features one of our gardens in Los Gatos, CA.  Sunset interviewed our Principle Landscape Architect, Jarrod Baumann, where he discussed the design inspiration and process in creating some spectacular garden spaces.  Check out the article in the August issue titled "Floral Fireworks." We are honored to be recognized by such a well know magazine, and look forward to having more publications soon!

2013 Garden Conservancy Open Day Tour

Zeterre is honored to have two gardens on this year's Open Days Tour hosted by the the Garden Conservancy.  The Garden Conservancy is US organization founded to preserve exceptional American gardens for the public's education and enjoyment.  The Open Days program is an annual event where gardens are selected in different regions throughout the US and are opened to the public for tours.

This year, Zeterre is proud to have two gardens on the tour.  "Selby House" in Atherton, CA and Villa Bougainvillea in Palo Alto, CA.  Please join us May 18th, to view the garden and speak with us about the design elements.

More information can be found on the Garden Conservancy website here:  http://www.gardenconservancy.org/opendays/open-days-schedule/openday/692-san-francisco-peninsula-open-day

Timeless elegance in Atherton estate

It has been a while since our last post.  We have been fortunate enough to be working on quite a few amazing projects.  Here is a glimpse of one our our most recent projects currently in progress in beautiful Atherton, CA.  

Huge antique lanterns being hung in a full size oak tree.  These lanterns compliment the form and size of the tree, and provide a touch of interest to the front entrance.

Craning in a spectacular Crepe Myrtle from Bonfante Nurseries.  This tree will provide amazing color, form, and texture when driving into the property.

Two semi trucks full of full size boxwood material was brought in from Oregon to create this effect.  Instant garden!

The project is wrapping up.  And these pictures are just the tip of the iceberg!  More to come very soon.

Los Gatos Grande Estate Honored

It's nice to open your mail to see one of your designs on a magazine cover... Check out the article from California Landscaping Magazine to see what was said about the Los Altos Grande Estate.

Zeterre: In the Studio

We at Zeterre feel that design is a very personal experience, and that knowing and trusting your designer is critical to a successful project. So, to help you get to know the Zeterre team better, we have commissioned a brief video introducing the team and what we do. It introduces our design process and philosophy, what Landscape Architecture means to us, the tools we use to create our designs, and a tour of our beautiful new studio in Los Altos. Take a look, we think you will agree it makes clear that there are no other Landscape Architecture firms doing the kind of work that we are. We hope you enjoy it.

New Menlo Park Project

Another of our current projects is a complete overhaul of this spacious backyard in suburban Menlo Park. In the design, we have transformed a sprawling lawn into a unique yet classically beautiful garden with a new pool, spa, accessory Tom Klope inspired guesthouse, dining area, and outdoor kitchen. The infinity-edge pool with swim-up bar, custom stone/wire trellises, and a curvilinear ipe wood bench are just some of the custom elements that make this design discrete and beautiful. Don’t take our word for it though, check out the animation below and see for yourself.

Our New Office

Zeterre has moved! As our portfolio expands to include more and more projects, so does our workload. Unfortunately, our former home in Saratoga could no longer provide the space the firm needed to continue providing exceptional designs and service to our current and future clients. As such, Zeterre now has a new home in downtown Los Altos at 105 Fremont Ave, Suite A – near the corner of El Monte and Foothill Expressway. Below are some shots of the new space, we hope you like it as much as we do. Feel free to stop by and one of our team members would be happy to show you around.

Stunningly Realistic 3D Concepts from Zeterre

Zeterre has invested in new visualization software to improve our existing workflow, helping us create some of the most realistic 3D computer simulations/animations in the industry. These tools allow both our design team and clients to experience the design in its entirety long before ground is broken, allowing us to both explore new and exciting design possibilities as well as identify future construction issues early in the process. Check out the revisited Pebble Beach Project animations below to see the new tools in action.

Saratoga Horse Property Animation Completed

We have completed an animation of our Saratoga Horse Property that shows our clients how it will feel to drive across their lake and up the hill to their house and garden.

By collaborating with the architect, we were able to generate a realistic simulation of the future condition of the property long before construction begins. By accurately replicating the contours of the land and modeling the proposed landscape and house, it allowed our client to visualize the design from every angle.

New 3D Tools Put To Use On Pebble Beach Project

Our concept of a French formal garden has been visualized in a 3d rendering and animation for our upcoming Pebble Beach Project - These new tools allow our clients to fully visualize their garden before the construction process begins. This 3 acre garden overlooks the golf course and ocean between Point Lobos and Stillwater cove... an amazing site! Fore more information on the project itself, see our previous post below.

Design Concept 1:


Design Concept 2:



We at Zeterre are excited about the possibilities created by utilizing these new tools. We intend to implement them on our future projects to help us better convey our concepts and ideas and deliver the most beautiful and innovative designs possible to our clients.

Spring-Summer 2010

The interiors of this project are being kept a guarded secret by the owners - however these photos were taken from the street and within public view. Zeterre has designed 5 acres of gardens...... there are 72 mature trees being moved onto the site currently with cranes and the construction team. Thats all we are allowed to say at this time. The garden will soon soften and frame this intriguing structure.

Forbes Magazine & San Jose Mercury News feature Zeterre's Palo Alto Net Zero Project - "Green Design -the NEW NORMAL"

The Palo Alto Net Zero House is a renovated 1936 house that is now net zero energy and carbon neutral. The green renovation used advanced high-performance sustainable methods and materials throughout the house while preserving the 1936 architectural style.

Before the renovation, the outdated faucets, toilets, shower heads and appliances wasted water. Outside the house the landscape required gallons of water to stay healthy and green.  The new plumbing system  uses new insulated copper pipes, supplies hot water on demand and is grey-water ready. The new plumbing system is designed to separate the home's grey-water(from kitchen and laundry appliances, bathroom faucets, showers)  from the black water (toilets and kitchen sink)

When the garden is complete, the grey water will run though PVC pipes to a subterranean drip system that drains the grey water into a constructed wetland garden designed by Zeterre. Plants in the garden thrive on the nutrient rich grey water. Within the constructed wetland, physical, chemical and biological processes treat the waste water as it passes though the wetland medium. Aerobic and anaerobic micro-organisms  help decompose organic material. Solids are filtered out as they settle in the water column or are physically filtered out by the wetland medium. Bacteria and viruses filter out of the water beneath ground level.

Black water from the toilets and kitchen sink flows into the city of Palo Alto's waste water sewage system. By separating the two types of water and treating the grey water the home's constructed wetlands, the amount of waste water that is polluted and requiring treatment is greatly reduced.

 

Sustainable Practices and Ideas to be implemented into the design

1. Rainwater runoff from roof/hardscape shall be collected with subterranean drains at house footprint. This water will be treated and reused for irrigation.

2. All existing on site pavers, concrete, etc shall be recycled.

3. All on site existing shrubs, trees and vines shall be relocated or protected in place as possible. preservation of palms, yucca and wisteria.

4. All plants that cannot be saved shall be shredded and turned into compost which will be used on site as amendment.

5.On site soil shall be amended with recycles materials - no top soil shall be brought in.

6. On site existing decking shall be reused to create boardwalk at rear of secondary residence.

7. Water table shall be regenerated and  and storm runoff will be eliminated through the use of permeable decomposed granite and lawns where possible.

8. Rainwater that drains though lawn will be collected, filtered, treated and reused as irrigation water.

9. Recycled or found glass, tile and brick will be used to create all artistic paving surface.

10. Heavenly Greens - Artificial turf shall be used as a driveway. It is made of recycled materials, eliminates irrigation.

11. All site furnishings (decorative planters, furniture, sculptures) shall be "found" objects or constructed with recycled materials.

12. low water usage plants shall be utilized through the site an grouped according to water needs.

13. All irrigation on this site shall be drip irrigation so as to conserve and minimize water.

14. A central control system will be utilized so as  to control the irrigation timer by way of a paging system from a local weather station. This system will adjust  watering times according to local weather  and thus minimize  irrigation waste and runoff.

15. A wetland garden shall be constructed at the rear of the garden to filter runoff into a storage tank where the water will be then reused as grey water in our subterranean drip system throughout the garden on low water using plants and ornamental alike.

For press information from Forbes Magazine and San Jose Mercury News click here

Pebble Beach Design Opportunity

A very exciting design opportunity has come our way this year. This stunning 3 acre property abuts Pebble Beach Golf Course, overlooks Stillwater Cove and Carmel Highlands and is just around the corner from The Spa at Casa Palmero. Here are a few before photos followed by a few of the design concepts...of course, the house will undergo substantial changes resulting in a revival style french chateau.

Above: Pebble Beach Estate Before

Below: The clients vision for the Pebble Beach Estate

Click on the design concepts below for a closer look...

Design Concept 1

 Design Concept 2

Design Concept 3

Final Design Concept

Dog Friendly Landscape

Our Dog-friendly landscape project in Palo Alto has recently been completed. This project was designed to accommodate a Silicon valley software engineer's Labradoodle, Ozzy. This project proves that dog friendly landscaping can be beautiful, fun and safe for your favorite pooch.

To start, all dog friendly plants were used. This included; Loropetalum, Thamnochortus, Lavander, Bamboo, and Roses to name a few. We learned that you can use a wide variety of plants but still have a beautiful yard that you and your favorite pooch can enjoy together.

Secondly, we decided to use artificial turf, which is made from recycled materials. By choosing to install the artificial turf, the client is saving water and money.

The Stainless Steel Panels were designed by Zeterre with the purpose of blocking as much of the adjacent back cottage which is architecturally less significant than the Eichler. While they do their purpose they also act as an art installation with a modern edge which blends the two homes together seamlessly.

Also, for added outdoor entertainment, the pathway to the spa doubles as a Bocce ball court, which Ozzy loves to play alongside his family. This spoiled pooch has quite the perfect life in this dog friendly paradise.

Reverse Offshoring: Design for Resort Living in Pune, India

This past year we have worked on a project in India with the brilliant

architects at Moco Design. It has been a unique and educational

experience for us, and we are very excited to be a part of

this project and look forward to construction being completed!

See the progress at: http://www.amarcourtyards.com

Inspiration: Artist - Andy Goldsworthy

Recently we have focused our attention a trifle more on the work of Andy Goldsworthy, an environmental sculptor who explores and experiments with various natural materials to create brilliantly creative and soul fulfilling art. He certainly has an amazing way of seeing beauty with an uncommon perspectives and inspiring vision.

On a recent trip to the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park, we spent some time studying his brilliant installation in the entry court. It is an “ever so simple” continuous crack through the front entry walk and into courtyard and up the main entrance door – but absolutely brilliant. The 'Faultline' installation was inspired by the unique character of California's tectonic topography as well as the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake which deemed the old De Young Museum unsafe. The New De Young building has been built with state of the art seismic technology to withstand intense earthquakes. If you have not seen it, you must!

A must read for any Goldsworthy fan is the book entitled, Andy Goldsworthy: A Collaboration with Nature, which highlights other brilliant work of this landscape artist. There are several installations throughout the bay which we intend to explore – One is at the Runnymede Sculpture Farm in Woodside – a “must see” for any art lover! See a few of our favorite Andy Goldsworthy installations below!