by Katie Elizer-Peters
Excerpted from an article that appeared in APLD’s The Designer magazine, Fall 2017.
Designer Matthew Cunningham is the 2017 APLD International Designer of the Year, awarded for his work on the Waban Hillside project, a landscape carved out of a rare double lot in the historic district of one of Boston’s most affluent suburbs. Matthew Cunningham will present “Creating Garden Momentum” on Friday, December 1, 2017 at New England GROWS.
Cunningham says, “Buildable land in these neighborhoods comes at a premium. Our clients wanted to build their dream home, and it was incredibly important to them that the house feel as though it was ‘tucked’ into the hillside, and that it be surrounded by life.” Because the clients were building from scratch, Cunningham and his team had the opportunity to create exactly the outdoor space desired by the clients.
“We studied every aspect of the proposed house footprint – from interior viewsheds, vantage points, egress conditions and even how the new home might impact adjacent homes,” says Cunningham. “Our clients wanted a sophisticated home that offered opportunities to be outdoors in any season, at any time of day.” No easy feat in New England.
The result, as described by judges, is a “before and after" that tells the story of the value and benefit of planning and design. The materials, plant choices, and arrangements meet the site and client needs, and the plan geometry and construction materials reinforce a definite order to this natural setting and environment. The great design structure is functional and encourages exploring and enjoyment. This site, designer, and client show how ‘fun’ is part of ‘fundamental.’”
Rather than picking where each individual plant will go, Cunningham focuses on creating plant communities. “I think this approach was heavily influenced by my childhood exposures in Maine,” he says. “I tend to like plants that can hold their own from a drought tolerance and soil composition perspective. From the moment I interview for a project, I explain to my clients that we create living systems that evolve. In that same spirit, I really like to work with plants that exhibit lots of multi-seasonal interest. Nobody likes a one-hit-wonder, so why settle for that in your garden?”
For hardscaping, Cunningham goes to great lengths to show materials well in advance. He collects samples and shows pictures to the clients before a single piece of stone even arrives on site. He says, “We are very process driven, and as a result, I think when a project is complete, a client can really feel like they are actively participating in the creation of their own garden.”
That way, when the designer has moved on, the landscape will endure.
Matthew Cunningham will present “Creating Garden Momentum”
on Friday, December 1, 2017 at New England GROWS.
Matthew Cunningham, ASLA Principal,
Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design
Stoneham, MA
Designer
of the Year