Shore blocks //

Shore Blocks’ design reflects our client’s passion for modern design.  The owners wished to remove a section of the existing concrete bulkhead to create a people and fish-friendly pocket beach; we proposed forms in the landscape that echo the rectangular shapes seen throughout the architecture of the residence and meet the functional needs of the nearshore ecosystem.  The rectangular shapes were repeated in the large-scale stone paving.  The honed blocks of locally sourced stone placed on the beach and in the water attenuate wave action at different water levels and provide spaces for lounging and playing at the water’s edge.  The beach creation required laying back the shoreline to ensure a sustainable grade from garden to the lake’s edge.  The green shoreline creates a fish-friendly environment with its gravel beach and native plantings.  The new beach area serves as a refuge for birds, fish, mammal, and insect species, while the owners now enjoy effortless swimming access and easy launching of hand-carried boats and paddleboards.

The design renewed the lakeside outdoor living spaces.  Rectangular stone pavers lead across the lawn, from the new beach area to the sand set Bluestone terrace with a custom natural gas fire feature, which serves as a gathering area for the family.  A renovated outdoor dining area in stone edged with planters sits above the garden and enjoys an elevated view of the garden and lake.

New steel raised planters provide a sunny spot for the edible garden.  Ornamental plantings in the garden include Daphne, Aster, Bobo Hydrangea, Cityline Rio Hydrangea, Confederate Jasmine, Allium Millenium, and others.

Native plantings along the shoreline include Shore Pine, Salal, Ninebark, Camas, Wild Mock Orange, and Western Sword Fern.