Client

Lafaut Koen

Landscape Architect

Studio Verde, Berwout Dochy

Contractor

Stijn Phlypo 

Clay paver

SeptimA Auburn

Processing

laid in stretcher bond with a thin joint and pointed with beige cement mortar
 

Photos: © PSG Studio 

The client, Koen, lives very near to his business at the French border. He longed for a place where he could unwind, with no connections whatsoever to his hatchery business. Landscape architect Berwout Dochy's mission was to design a garden based on this brief. In addition, the garden had to blend seamlessly with the surrounding landscape and accommodate a large pond intended for firefighting.

This was one of the requirements in order to be able to expand the business. But the end result most certainly had to be a technological feat as well and therefore Stijn Phlypo was hired as a landscape contractor. After all, for this kind of concept to be brought to fruition, a perfect match is needed between the designer and the executor.  

By incorporating many elements from the neighbouring polder landscape into the design, the garden becomes one with its surroundings. For instance, a row of 80-year old pollarded willows was planted, which immediately added structure and character to the garden.

In order to turn something useful into something pleasant, a meandering swimming pond inspired by the many nearby creeks was conceived to hold the water required for firefighting.   

All the materials and plants were chosen in view of enhancing the garden's natural character: the hawthorn hedge, the multi-stemmed trees as well as a wooden fence around the field.  

Not surprisingly, clay pavers were the obvious choice of paving material. The SeptimA Auburn clay pavers that were singled out for this project, enhance the concept with their natural and sustainable character. 

As the garden and its surroundings take centre stage, the annexe was designed in function of them. The façade mainly consists of folding windows which offer a view onto the entire concept. When the weather is nice, they completely fold away, so that the building becomes part of the garden.

In order to emphasize this feeling, the SeptimA Auburn clay pavers were used both on the patio and inside the building. Not only does the subtle greyish brown shade of the clay pavers fit perfectly into the rural surroundings, it's also a perfect match for the interior.  

“The terrain also had only one tree, but what a tree it was. Thanks to the garden design, we were able to turn an old walnut tree, which initially stood somewhat miserably in the field, into the focal point of the garden. You have to go past the walnut tree in order to enter the garden, and thus it's been given a very prominent place,” landscape contractor Stijn Phlypo explains.