by Isabel Duprat

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The urban residential garden in São Paulo city always presents a series of propositions to be considered: the integration with the architectural project, the revealing and concealing of the surroundings, providing the house with privacy, the softening of unwanted view of walls, railings and wiring, the availability of sunlit and shade areas, There is also the understanding of our subtropical climate with its drastic alternations of heat and cold still aggravated by pollution, which mistreats vegetation. All of this thought out and designed to create a place of well-being, the last piece to be fitted into a puzzle.

 

The main access to the house designed by Isay Weinfeld is on the side of the property, near the northern limit, in a long way to overcome seven meters of height difference. The landscaping project should make this course a pleasant walk home. I created steps of rectangular granite blocks that alternate with terraces to the right extent of comfort, zigzagging up the slope, allowing itself to invade the surrounding vegetation, sometimes revealing, sometimes concealing the path ahead. Groundcover and bushes of different shapes, colors and textures follows the walk bringing more attention to the stroll and less to the distance to be covered. Beds of Crinums, Calatheas, Spathiphyllums and irises divert our view, interspersed with Odontonemas and Calliandras. Flowering and palm trees, matched by light and dark trunks and palm trees, punctuate the way while harmonizing the boundaries. The path fans out to a large lawn revealing the house. A forest of Tabebuias, Buchenavia tetraphylla (mirindiba) and Dypsis madagascariensis (areca de locuba) palm trees add depth to the garden. 

 

The garden ahead has a soft and clean design that offers a view of the city skyline, exposing all the fascinating complexity of São Paulo.