A 1,400 sq ft contemporary courtyard.
Owners of a contemporary modernist house asked for an outdoor ‘room’ that matched the house’s clean lines — a place for the family to gather, with a small water element for ambient sound, and visual privacy from the neighboring property. The existing yard was a flat 1,400 sq ft of crabgrass.
— The brief
What the clients wanted.
Owners of a contemporary modernist house asked for an outdoor ‘room’ that matched the house’s clean lines — a place for the family to gather, with a small water element for ambient sound, and visual privacy from the neighboring property. The existing yard was a flat 1,400 sq ft of crabgrass.
The challenge.
Three things: the courtyard had to feel architecturally integrated with the house (not ‘attached’); a 6-foot grade differential to the neighbor’s lot needed visual privacy without feeling fortress-like; the water element had to provide sound but not dominate.
— Project specs
— What we built
Project elements.
Bluestone paving in a 24×24″ full-color pattern, edged with cedar slat screening on the privacy side. A 4×6 ft reflecting pool with basalt-column fountain at the courtyard’s focal point. Three Japanese maples (Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’) for autumn color and partial shade. A built-in cedar bench along one edge, doubling as planter for sedum and sedge.
Stone
Goshen bluestone
Timber
Eastern white cedar slat
Location
South Burlington, VT
Year
2023
Duration
6 months
Scope
Hardscape + Cedar + Water
— How it came together
The Cairn & Cedar Method, this project.
Same Method as every project — site visit, design, quote, build.
Site visit
Two-hour walk with the architect. Light, slope, drainage, microclimate measured. We listen, you talk.
Design
Hand-drawn schematic, then full construction documents. Material specs, sections, footing detail.
Quote
Fixed-price proposal, line-itemed by trade. You see the math. Change orders signed before any change.
Build
Our in-house crew on site every working day. Architect at every milestone. Punch list closed before final invoice.
— The outcome
What happened after we finished.
— Project notes
Worth knowing about this project.
What was unique about this site?
Three things: the courtyard had to feel architecturally integrated with the house (not ‘attached’); a 6-foot grade differential to the neighbor’s lot needed visual privacy without feeling fortress-like; the water element had to provide sound but not dominate.
What materials were specified?
Stone: Goshen bluestone. Timber: Eastern white cedar slat. All sourced within 60 miles of the project.
How long did construction take?
6 months from first site visit to final cleanup. Construction phase varied based on the integrated disciplines.
What was the disciplines mix?
Hardscape + Cedar + Water
What’s the outcome two seasons later?
The courtyard reads as continuous with the house’s architecture rather than added on. The fountain runs spring through fall; in winter the reflecting pool freezes with the courtyard becoming a still composition. Used 200+ days a year by the family.
Can we visit the project?
Some projects we can arrange property tours by appointment, with the owner’s permission. Ask during the site visit if a similar property is available to walk.