The benefits of collaborating from square one.
To fully grasp how a project like Bluff House comes to life, we share insights from the collaborators who worked together from the very beginning.
How does the process start?
“Of course, the process is a little different every time,” explains Mariani Landscape Design Principal Carrie Woleben-Meade. “On this project, we were fortunate enough to be brought in very early in the process, before the house was designed. That’s really fun, working with the client and the design team to build a project from square one.” Dan Wheeler, the architect and Founding Principal of Wheeler Kearns Architects, added, “Through an interview process with the client, we were able to enter the design process together.”
At the start of a project, one of the most important processes is to determine the overall concept of the
design, which then informs the overall arc of the project. In this case, the client immediately gravitated towards the architectural design philosophy of modern humility, which prioritizes a thoughtful understanding of the context of the site and its user and a collaborative design process.
To achieve this, Dan Wheeler explains the design of the home as “A single-story approach, where we start small on the road side [of the house] and then angled the roof up, opening it to the lake. It’s the opposite of a huge structure that attempts to have multiple stories where every room somehow faces the lake.”
“Dan is really a creative soul; he never stops. He’s always thinking through the details, which inspired the rest of the team,” Carrie said. “Showing the clients precedent images helped the team hone in and understand their style. The homeowner liked a lot of texture in the plantings, and they wanted to feel private, but not standoffish to their neighbors. For the entry area, we came up with a series of privacy hedges of different heights, so it wasn’t just one giant hedge that disconnected them from the neighborhood. You see some texture and color and different layering, making it a little friendlier and warmer to the neighborhood.”
Once the concept was in place, Carrie worked with Mariani Design and Construction team members – Joey Henrichs, Andy Shank, and Mike Devora – to develop the details and review the constructability challenges and opportunities that the site presented.
How do you engage with the homeowner?
The collaboration reached into every aspect of the project. The collaboration reached into every aspect of the project. “When the house starts going up, we can look from key windows to evaluate the planting selections. We are working closely with the homeowner, and it is fun to see them react to the spaces as they begin to take shape. We really dial in key plant locations at that point,” Carrie explains.
Who are the other partners in collaboration?
The story continues with the project’s hardscapes. “For us, this project started with Carrie and Joey,” Greg Hirsch of Hirsch Brick & Stone remembered. “They involved us very early on, because there were so many unique and specific details to this hardscape,” Hirsch commented, explaining that the hardscape design called for things they’d never seen before over decades of masonry experience. For example, the architect had an idea to install the bluestone deck with a waterfall step so it looked like it was wrapping and flowing away from the house. The Hirsch team partnered with the designers to figure out how to build it. The result speaks for itself.
In almost every instance, there’s simply no substitute for showing up–the importance of on-site decision-making can’t be underestimated. “Joey and Carrie were onsite constantly during installation, so they could make modifications and we could ensure we were fulfilling their vision, down to the last detail,” said Hirsch Production Manager Eric Doty. When describing the multitude of variances and unexpected nuances found at the worksite, Doty added, “Drawings are great, but reality is another thing.”
Creating the bluff stairs down to the shoreline also proved to be a highly collaborative process, which introduced another cast of team members. “We worked with engineers who developed the steel walls at the top of the bluff to stabilize the tableland, then our construction team to build the stairs down to the beach, and a shoreline engineer to add bluff protection. We worked closely with the City of Highland Park because they have very particular erosion control requirements,” Carrie said, adding, “There’s a whole different set of permitting that goes with the bluff and beach work.”
What makes a good partner?
Greg Hirsch explained, “A good partner is somebody who’s working these details out early, so they’re not discovered at the job site. They’re planned out and prepared and have been carefully thought through.” He added, “That helps especially with the bidding process, so the clients get the correct pricing. They’re getting the design they want, we’re able to get behind a design that can actually be built, and we know it’s going to last,” Hirsch added.
“Everybody on a project like this brings their A-game,” Carrie said, adding, “We want partners that have opinions that they share and debate with us, because it pushes everyone. And we get the benefit of learning from their opinions,” Carrie said. As that relates to the homeowner, she suggested, “We’re holding everyone accountable in the client’s best interest.”
The long view of partnership
Finally, there is the ongoing partnership with the homeowner that unfolds and develops over time. Carrie explains, “In our design team, we’re all about long-term relationships. So I’ll continue to work with the client and partner with the Mariani maintenance team as the site matures and changes over time.” She added, “That’s a big responsibility because you’re going to be looking these people in the eye every year.”
The best compliment we can receive is like the one from the couple who began the journey with Mariani years ago, that they are thrilled to use their outdoor space as they intended, and excited to use it more. On her visits to the property to assess how things are looking, Carrie is greeted with a big hug from the couple, who say they never want to leave home.
