Boxleaf brought layers and texture to the contemporary renovation of this 1950s family home. The entry experience begins high atop the hill, descending through a wild landscape into a Zen-like courtyard. The steep driveway was significantly engineered to provide a more comfortable and sculptural approach. The arrival courtyard is defined by L-shaped seat walls, softened by ground cover plantings and a grid of cobblestones which hide a child-friendly ‘surprise’ water feature, lending soothing water sounds and tactile water play. Vibrant green understory plantings, red branches of ‘Sango Kaku’ Maples, and twisted bonsai junipers come alive against dark architectural cladding.