river HOUSE residence / sauvie island
Landscape for a 2-acre residential estate on Sauvie Island, just outside Portland, Oregon, on the Columbia River.
Work began in 2020 on the riverfront meadow establishment, with entirely new topography created using existing earth, and using a Northwest prairie and wildflower mix to stabilize the riparian soil. Prato upgraded beach access with steps and boardwalks, and designed a large deck for enjoying sun bathing, outdoor dinners, and stargazing long before the house renovation was done. Failing cottonwood trees along the riverfront were repurposed into site furnishings using a local mill.
Renovations to the house-surround landscape, kitchen garden, and front yard took place concurrent with house construction. The plant palette features a mix of low-water, native, and climate adapted plants, with areas for the client to experiment with annual and edible plants. A meandering, 70’-long weeping alaskan cedar was given new life with a good trim and some new supports to compliment the architecture. Juniper timbers in the kitchen garden, sourced from local grassland and watershed restoration projects, creates a beautiful and sustainable container for edibles. While we take a pause to admire a wonderful project, we imagine we’ll always be collaborating and tinkering with this garden-loving client as new ideas crop up each year.
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Interior Designer: Jessica Helgerson Interior Design
Project interior featured in Architectural Digest digital, February 2024