Site Logo

Life of an Architect

  • Podcast
  • about me
  • Questions / Contact
  • F. A. Q.
  • Do you want to be an Architect?
  • Architecture Books+
You are here: Home/Construction/ Sexy Retaining Wall

Sexy Retaining Wall

March 1, 2012 by Bob Borson29 Comments

David Hocker Landscape Architect

This happy top-o-the morning looking bloke is David Hocker. He’s a landscape architect (Hocker Design Group) and a pretty good one at that. Besides winning an American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) National Honor Design award and a ASLA State Merit Award in the same year, he has the great privilege of working with yours truly on the modern infill project I have been showcasing here for the last two years.

I’ve mentioned that this project would be wrapping up in the next two months and that things are going to start coming together really quickly. Today, I thought I would introduce you to David Hocker and the Hocker Design Group, and show you just one teeny tiny detail that is awesome and worthy of your attention. The chamfered retaining wall edge detail!!! (GASP!!)

.

retaining wall detail

Do you see it?… It’s right sexy isn’t it?!?

Lets look at it again, but closer, more intimately

.

retaining wall edge detail

Get In My Belly!!

For those of you who might not know what you’re looking at or why I think this is a slick detail let me explain. Normally when you have a change in elevation, you have to install a retaining wall to that the dirt on either side of that wall can exist at different elevations. That means you generally have to look at the top of the wall and to be quite honest, they rarely look all that wonderful. When the job is a modern style project, seeing the top of the wall is even less desirable and there are only a handful of ways you can deal with this. In David’s landscape design, he has detailed this chamfered edge to the tops of all the exposed retaining walls so that the landscape growie material can come right up to the edge of the wall. This gives us a nice clean visual edge while leaving just enough wall peeking out that the guy mowing/ trimming the ground-cover can keep the edge tidy.

Maybe it’s easier to see in a detailed drawing, I just happen to have one for you…

retaining wall detail

See what I mean? It’s not a particularly tough detail to execute but it makes a huge design statement. The concrete subcontractor has only just started to form up all the retaining walls on the front of the project where we have this detail in place. I wanted to showcase some of the before pictures because in 2 months, you won’t believe how good the after pictures will look.

A lot of attention is just now being focused on the exterior and particularly the built portions of the landscaping. One of the really exciting features is the pool that is in the center courtyard. The courtyard deck and pool are completely integrated together using large format bluestone slabs that turn down into and cover the entire pool.

 

built in pool

But I shouldn’t get ahead myself, that’s coming next week. I can barely restrain myself I am getting so excited!! Hopefully you’re not getting burned out on these posts, of course I find it interesting – it’s what I do. Hopefully (besides seeing something that looks pretty good) you can learn something and take it away for use in your own projects. That’s really the point of the sexy retaining wall detail – it needs to be used and loved by others.

Cheers,

.

.

Pinterest for Architects
Pool or water feature?

even better stuff from Life of an Architect

Sketching during Schematic Design
Israel - but first, let me take a groupie
Renzo Piano Kimbell Art Museum Sneak Peek
Architectural Sketches - Sketchapalooza II
LOAA Graphics ... and the winner is
Words that Architects use: Architect Bingo Card #2
The 10 Worst Christmas Songs
003: Sketching

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Construction, Modern HouseTagged With: concrete, Construction Observation, Construction Process, consultants, details, landscape, modern house, plans, Sale Street

Search Life of an Architect

Trending on Life of an Architect

Architectural Graphics 101: Finish Schedules
Architectural Graphics 101 - Window Schedules
Do you want to be an Architect?
The Pro's and Con's of Moonlighting
Ep 066: Architects and Sketching
Architectural Portfolios and Their True Purpose
Architectural Graphics 101 - Wall Types
Architectural Graphics 101 - Line Weight
Presentation Skills - Tips and Techniques
Architectural Graphics 101 - Reflected Ceiling Plans

Subscribe to Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotifyAndroidiHeartRadioby EmailTuneInRSS

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required

Apparel for Architects

T-Shirts for Architects - Bob Borson

Support for Advice or Guidance

Thanks!
Other Amount:
Project Reference or Support for Questions Answered:

My “Serious” Disclaimer

The complimentary advice provided on ‘Life of an Architect’ is based on an abbreviated examination of the minimal facts given, not the typical extensive (and sometimes exhaustive) analysis I conduct when working with my clients. Therefore, anything you read on this site is not a substitute for actually working with me. Following my casual advice is at your own peril … if you want my undivided attention, I would recommend hiring me. Cheers.

Pages

  • Comment Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Architecture Books+
  • about me
  • Questions?
  • F. A. Q.
  • Do you want to be an Architect?
  • Podcast

Life of an Architect | Bob Borson

  • View lifeofanarchitect’s profile on Facebook
  • View bobborson’s profile on Twitter
  • View bobborson’s profile on Instagram
  • View bborson’s profile on LinkedIn

Archives of Awesomeness

Copyright © 2021 Life of an Architect

loadingCancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.