Icon - Arrow LeftAn icon we use to indicate a rightwards action. Icon - Arrow RightAn icon we use to indicate a leftwards action. Icon - External LinkAn icon we use to indicate a button link is external. Icon - MessageThe icon we use to represent an email action. Icon - Down ChevronUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - CloseUsed to indicate a close action. Icon - Dropdown ArrowUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - Location PinUsed to showcase a location on a map. Icon - Zoom OutUsed to indicate a zoom out action on a map. Icon - Zoom InUsed to indicate a zoom in action on a map. Icon - SearchUsed to indicate a search action. Icon - EmailUsed to indicate an emai action. Icon - FacebookFacebooks brand mark for use in social sharing icons. flipboard Icon - InstagramInstagrams brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - PinterestPinterests brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - TwitterTwitters brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - Check MarkA check mark for checkbox buttons.
You are reading

The Talk of the Town: A Restrained Landscape for a Modernist Estate in Hastings-on-Hudson

Search

Start typing to search...

Search
Swimming PoolsIssue 39 — Harvest Home

The Talk of the Town: A Restrained Landscape for a Modernist Estate in Hastings-on-Hudson

October 9, 2017

Not everyone in the arty, affluent village of Hastings-on-Hudson, New York was thrilled to hear the news when billionaire financier David E. Shaw bought three properties, demolished the houses on them, and built as a replacement a 38,000-square-foot, $75-million estate for his family.

“Deeply saddened,” one long-time resident told the New York Times in 2014 after construction got underway. “Out of character with what Hastings is all about,” said another.

Three years later, the neighbors may still be puzzling over the “wrinkled” concrete house that architect Steven Holl designed to sit on the top of a bluff overlooking the Hudson River. But we hope they agree that the 4.5-acre property’s new garden is spectacular. Created by landscape architect Edmund Hollander to showcase magnificent specimen trees and  sweeping cliffside views, it won an Honor prize in this year’s American Society of Landscape Architects Awards contest. Let’s take a closer look:

Photography by Charles Mayer courtesy of ASLA.

Spared the wrecking ball, a willow oak tree (Quercus phellos) and fern leaf beech tree (Fagus sylvatica Asplenifolia) are &#8\2\20;stately specimens&#8\2\2\1; that border a path of irregularly shaped pavers.
Above: Spared the wrecking ball, a willow oak tree (Quercus phellos) and fern leaf beech tree (Fagus sylvatica Asplenifolia) are “stately specimens” that border a path of irregularly shaped pavers.

“The angled concrete residence sits atop the precipice of a bluff, maximizing views to frame fissured rock faces in the distance,” notes Hollander, adding that stately trees on the property “were carefully protected throughout construction in a strategic effort to preserve the spirit of place and anchor a sense of human scale surrounding the home.”

Basalt pavers in polygon shapes are set into turf, creating a permeable walkway.
Above: Basalt pavers in polygon shapes are set into turf, creating a permeable walkway.

Site Plan

In addition to a 38,000-square-foot main house, the cliffside site has a tennis court and pool house, a 3,\179-square-foot underground garage, and a guest house.
Above: In addition to a 38,000-square-foot main house, the cliffside site has a tennis court and pool house, a 3,179-square-foot underground garage, and a guest house.
The basalt path weaves through a grove of ginkgo trees and down a sloping lawn, ending at the pool house. (No two pavers are identical in size or shape.)
Above: The basalt path weaves through a grove of ginkgo trees and down a sloping lawn, ending at the pool house. (No two pavers are identical in size or shape.)

The landscape society jury said:, ” Consider how the stone in the path is cut to abstract the falling gingko leaves, giving an Asian feel.”

Among the specimen trees preserved during construction were three ginkgos. Additional ginkgos were planted in the grove: &#8\2\20;Ginkgos were also selected for an extraordinary quality—much like the cliffs that rise in the distance, they’re the only living fossil from \200 million years ago still in existence,&#8\2\2\1; notes the architect.
Above: Among the specimen trees preserved during construction were three ginkgos. Additional ginkgos were planted in the grove: “Ginkgos were also selected for an extraordinary quality—much like the cliffs that rise in the distance, they’re the only living fossil from 200 million years ago still in existence,” notes the architect.
Placed at irregular distances and angles, basalt risers and turf treads form a stairway and &#8\2\20;zig-zag through the ginkgo grove and down a turf slope to the pool house,&#8\2\2\1; says the landscape architect.
Above: Placed at irregular distances and angles, basalt risers and turf treads form a stairway and “zig-zag through the ginkgo grove and down a turf slope to the pool house,” says the landscape architect.
On a textured concrete retaining wall, five wisteria vines salvaged from the property&#8\2\17;s previous gardens now grow against trellises.
Above: On a textured concrete retaining wall, five wisteria vines salvaged from the property’s previous gardens now grow against trellises.
&#8\2\20;No two stones are like,&#8\2\2\1; notes the landscape architect.
Above: “No two stones are like,” notes the landscape architect.
&#8\2\20;Linear basalt risers set with ends that tie into the turf slope as if they’re pinning and stabilizing the hillside &#8\2\1\1; protecting it from the forces of attrition,&#8\2\2\1; notes the landscape architect.
Above: “Linear basalt risers set with ends that tie into the turf slope as if they’re pinning and stabilizing the hillside – protecting it from the forces of attrition,” notes the landscape architect.
The view from inside the pool house frames a view of deciduous trees turning a fiery yellow and orange in autumn.
Above: The view from inside the pool house frames a view of deciduous trees turning a fiery yellow and orange in autumn.
The estate&#8\2\17;s property tax bill? More than \$\1,000,000 a year.
Above: The estate’s property tax bill? More than $1,000,000 a year.

N.B.: See more American Society of Landscape Architects winners:

(Visited 7,289 times, 2 visits today)
You need to login or register to view and manage your bookmarks.
Add to Collection
New Collection

Explore Deeper Into These Areas

Previous Post

Architect Visit: Into the Woods with Drew Lang in the Hudson Valley

October 8, 2017
Next Post

Object of Desire: Waxed Leather Garden Kneeler

October 9, 2017

Have a Question or Comment About This Post?

Join the conversation

Related Stories

Read all recent posts

join us on Instagram Logo

gardenista_sourcebook

Sourcebook for Cultivated Living, sister site to @remodelista
Tag us using #gardenista 🌿🌱

Gardens & Outdoor Living

v5.0

×
Join the Remodelista Family of Websites

Become a Member at no charge

When you register as a free Member of the Remodelista family of websites (Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home), you gain access to all current posts plus 10 archived posts per month, our internal bookmarking tool, and the community bulletin board.

Member benefits include:

  • Access to all posts published in the past year
  • Access 10 archived posts (older than one year) per month on each site
  • Use of our internal bookmark tool, so you can save products, posts, and other pages for quick reference
  • Access to our community bulletin board so you can ask and answer design-related questions
  • Unlimited access to the Product Catalogs, Design Travel sources, and Architect & Designer Directory listings
  • Choose from our ten newsletters to keep up with the latest on the sites

Or Subscribe for Maximum Value!

For $5/month ($59.99 paid annually) you'll enjoy unlimited, ad-free access to Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home and all the benefits of Membership.



Subscriber benefits include:

  • Unlimited access to all three sites
  • Weekly access to subscriber-only content
  • Ad-free browsing environment
  • Unrestricted access to 30,000+ archived posts
  • Receive the full-text daily newsletters
  • All features that Members have access to
  • Annual subscribers pay 50% off the monthly subscription price of $9.99
×
Subscribe to the Remodelista family of websites

For $5/month ($59.99 paid annually) you'll enjoy unlimited, ad-free access to Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home and all the benefits of Membership.



Subscriber benefits include:

  • Unlimited access to all three sites
  • Weekly access to subscriber-only content
  • Ad-free browsing environment
  • Unrestricted access to 30,000+ archived posts
  • Receive the full-text daily newsletters
  • All features that Members have access to
  • Annual subscribers pay 50% off the monthly subscription price of $9.99
×
Sorry! As a registered member you get 10 free posts from our archive (posts more than a year old) every 30 days. You have reached your limit for this 30-day period. If you would like to access unlimited posts from the archive (ad free, too), become a subscriber today, and keep reading as many articles as you want.

Full Access Individual Subscription

Benefits include:

  • Unlimited access to Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home sites
  • Ad-free browsing environment
  • Unrestricted access to 30,000+ archived posts
  • Receive the full-text daily newsletters
  • All features that Members have access to
  • Annual subscribers pay just 50% off the monthly subscription price of $9.99


×
Sorry! You have reached your limit of three (3) free posts from our archive every 30 days. You can increase this to 10 posts by joining as a free Member, or read unlimited posts with no ads by becoming a paid Subscriber.

Subscribe to the Remodelista family of websites

For $5/month ($59.99 paid annually) you'll enjoy unlimited, ad-free access to Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home and all the benefits of Membership.



Subscriber benefits include:

  • Unlimited access to all three sites
  • Weekly access to subscriber-only content
  • Unrestricted access to 30,000+ archived posts
  • Receive the full-text daily newsletters
  • All features that Members have access to
  • Annual subscribers pay 50% off the monthly subscription price of $9.99

Become a Member at no charge

When you register as a free Member of the Remodelista family of websites (Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home), you gain access to all current posts plus 10 archived posts per month, our internal bookmarking tool, and the community bulletin board.

Member benefits include:

  • Access to all posts published in the past year
  • Access 10 archived posts (older than one year) per month on each site
  • Use of our internal bookmark tool, so you can save products, posts, and other pages for quick reference
  • Access to our community bulletin board so you can ask and answer design-related questions
  • Unlimited access to the Product Catalogs, Design Travel sources, and Architect & Designer Directory listings
  • Choose from our ten newsletters to keep up with the latest on the sites

My Account

Your member profile is powered by memberstack