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Private Residence
Amherst, New Hampshire
This private
residence is located in Amherst, New Hampshire. The property consists
of one large 20-acre parcel situated on top of a hill and accessed
from a dead-end, private road. Phase I work consisted of creating a
new "Front Door" presentation to the house with a paved
turnaround of concrete pavers while preserving most existing
plantings. This work was based on an overall Landscape Master Plan
from the front half of the property.
The design and
construction challenges for this project focused on satisfying a
number of client goals that included:
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Completing all
work by August 5, 1993, with the design phase commencing on March 1,
1993 and construction occurring only for a 30-day period.
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Accomplish the
work desired by creating a Design/Build team between the Landscape
Contractor and a local Landscape Architect comfortable with working
on a tight schedule and experienced with high-end landscape construction.
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Create an overall
master plan to direct all Phase I work while keeping in perspective
future phases of work in the remainder of the front yard.
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Provide design
solutions that deal with specific client objectives pertaining to
creating a strong sense of entry from approach into the property,
creating a functional turnaround with regard to turning geometry and
user comfort, and long-term durability with regard to drainage and
snow removal.
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Fulfill the
client's overall budget for this phase of work.
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Create a lasting
"hardscape" distinctive to the client's desires and
appropriate for the surrounding context.
PROJECT
CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
Challenge:
Compressed conceptual design and construction drawing schedule that
ran concurrent with developing a final budget, construction contract
and schedule.
Solution:
Design was accomplished with a series of work sessions between the
client, designer and contractor. Initial sketches were prepared in
advance to discuss alternatives and to make immediate and informed
decisions on which further details/decisions were based. This process
allowed for soliciting bids from sub-contractors for site work,
blasting, and paver production on an accelerated schedule. The
Landscape Contractor was responsible for all earthwork, grading,
paving and sodding and construction coordination. Landscape Architect
was responsible for overall design, detailing, field layout and
preserving the overall design intent.
Challenge:
Adhere to special installation, layout and finishing techniques for
paving product selected.
Solution: Sub-base,
based and site drainage were of particular concern since this
pavement would function as a vehicular turnaround positioned as the
"Front Door" to the main entry of a high end single family
residence. Vehicular loading and resistance to the lateral forces due
to tight turning radii were key considerations. The setting required
tight radii, so a well compacted based and firm edge restraint was
needed to resist lateral forces of turning cars.
To assure
successful long term performance, special effort was made to install
a well compacted sub-based and based (± 24 depth). This
foundation satisfied our concerns for quick and positive drainage and
assured that future settling would not occur. Also, an ecological
benefit using concrete modular pavers was that they allowed storm
water to percolate back into the soil while avoiding the additional
and unnecessary cost of installing structures to collect, channel and
discharge storm water.
Edge
restraint was accomplished with pre-molded, PVC edge restraint
("Pave Edge"), anchored with galvanized 10" stakes and
placed just before compacting the pavers with a vibratory compactor.
Challenge:
Tailor design around a particular type of paver best suited for this design.
Solution:
Paver selection was based on a number of needs. First, both the
"Classico" and "Appian" pavers were selected
because the layout of the turnaround was based entirely on a series
of intersecting curves, not a single straight line occurred. The
style of both these pavers lend themselves to curvilinear layouts due
to their rounded corners, which minimize joint width when laid
radially. Also, the paver profile was appropriate for
"blending" with the surrounding naturalistic landscape to
be developed later. Second, we needed a transition between the main
field of paving and existing bituminous driveway. The edge of the
driveway was saw cut to create a clean edge and for removal of
±12"of broken driveway edge. Transition pavers were the
"Appian" style in a gray/black color to blend with the
adjoining driveway.
Check
out the magazine write-up about this project
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