Outdoor Life

The clients approached Cevan to design an outdoor space that would be an environment for daily living. Spaces would need to be created for dining and entertainment as well as an open space for the clients to practice tai chi. Proper feng shui dictated flowing water and Cevanrsquo;s design centered on a reflecting pond planted with lotus. Water pours into the pond from 3 bamboo spouts. Cevan enclosed the main part of the property with a variety of walls including an adobe wall colored an intense shade of pink opposite the pond. A concrete lounge was cast in place to provide a seating area, the rest of the yard is open space paved with crushed granite.

The property had a narrow side yard that was essentially unused space and Cevan proposed roofing if over to create a loggia to be used for dining and entertainment. A frame structure of red cedar beams with a transparent fiberglass roof that spans the entire side of the residence contains a 24 foot long cast-in-place concrete table, seating up to 20 guests. The table is lit with several lacquered paper lanterns that cast a soft amber glow. A round cast concrete table with a fluted column base provides a place to serve food and drinks. Bamboo screens the dining area for maximal privacy.