Earth inspired neutral colors expressed in basic materials with contrasting textures reinforce the connection of the natural and built environment. Nestled within the clean lines of the cabinetry lies a host of convenient storage items designed to make this kitchen a great place for cooking and entertaining.

Summit Ridge is a custom residence on Paris Mountain that reinterprets classic Southern architecture through a modern lens. Designed to harmonize with its wooded mountain setting, the home combines clean lines, refined materials, and enduring craftsmanship. This Paris Mountain custom home embraces its Greenville landscape, offering a sense of retreat, privacy, and balance between the natural and built environments. The exterior features a refined mix of fieldstone, smooth siding, and vertical cedar accents, layered to achieve both warmth and contrast. A standing-seam metal roof, deep overhangs, and cypress porch ceilings emphasize the home’s strong horizontal lines while improving energy efficiency and protection from the elements. Custom aluminum-clad windows and doors bring in natural light and open the interior to expansive mountain views. Exposed steel brackets and precision detailing reveal the craftsmanship that defines Greenville-based CarsonSpeer Builders’ work, where structure and artistry coexist beautifully.

Situated on a large, picturesque lot surrounded by lush, mature trees, this project in Ann Arbor, MI, aimed to create a multi-generational home designed for family members of all ages to live harmoniously under one roof. Primary and secondary spaces were carefully planned and added to support the evolving needs of the household, creating separate wings in response to the different ages and lifestyles; Aging in place on the 1st floor, children and private office spaces on the 2nd floor to respond to the clients working from home. Key modifications to the first-floor layout were made to alleviate congestion, support the concept of “aging in place” and improve circulation in high-traffic areas, ensuring comfort and ease of movement throughout the home. The project included enlarging the existing garage, adding a new family room on the first floor, adding a new formal entry and mudroom, enlarging the living room, renovating the current 1st-floor en-suite for Aging in place, and adding a modern stair tower to the newly added 2nd-floor. The 2nd floor has 3 bedrooms, a home office and a fully new en-suite that accentuates the views from the backyard. An abundance of expansive windows helps to blur the line between the natural and built environments, pulling in lots of natural light through the house. To help with the transformation from a traditional ranch to a modern 2-story, the roof line was designed as an abstraction of the original roof elements/slopes. The clients’ “new” home embodies both function and beauty, offering flexibility for future growth while creating a visually stunning composition of spaces.

Hudson Valley Sustainable Luxury Welcome to an enchanting haven nestled in the heart of the woods, where iconic, weathered modular cabins, made of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) and reclaimed wood, radiate tranquility and sustainability. With a regenerative, carbon-sequestering design, these serene structures take inspiration from American tonalism, featuring soft edges, blurred details, and a soothing palette of dark white and light brown. Large glass elements infuse the interiors with abundant natural light, amplifying the stunning outdoor scenes, while the modernist landscapes capture nature's essence. These custom homes, adorned in muted, earthy tones, provide a harmonious retreat that masterfully integrates the built environment with its natural surroundings.

Summit Ridge is a custom residence on Paris Mountain that reinterprets classic Southern architecture through a modern lens. Designed to harmonize with its wooded mountain setting, the home combines clean lines, refined materials, and enduring craftsmanship. This Paris Mountain custom home embraces its Greenville landscape, offering a sense of retreat, privacy, and balance between the natural and built environments. The exterior features a refined mix of fieldstone, smooth siding, and vertical cedar accents, layered to achieve both warmth and contrast. A standing-seam metal roof, deep overhangs, and cypress porch ceilings emphasize the home’s strong horizontal lines while improving energy efficiency and protection from the elements. Custom aluminum-clad windows and doors bring in natural light and open the interior to expansive mountain views. Exposed steel brackets and precision detailing reveal the craftsmanship that defines Greenville-based CarsonSpeer Builders’ work, where structure and artistry coexist beautifully.

Situated on a large, picturesque lot surrounded by lush, mature trees, this project in Ann Arbor, MI, aimed to create a multi-generational home designed for family members of all ages to live harmoniously under one roof. Primary and secondary spaces were carefully planned and added to support the evolving needs of the household, creating separate wings in response to the different ages and lifestyles; Aging in place on the 1st floor, children and private office spaces on the 2nd floor to respond to the clients working from home. Key modifications to the first-floor layout were made to alleviate congestion, support the concept of “aging in place” and improve circulation in high-traffic areas, ensuring comfort and ease of movement throughout the home. The project included enlarging the existing garage, adding a new family room on the first floor, adding a new formal entry and mudroom, enlarging the living room, renovating the current 1st-floor en-suite for Aging in place, and adding a modern stair tower to the newly added 2nd-floor. The 2nd floor has 3 bedrooms, a home office and a fully new en-suite that accentuates the views from the backyard. An abundance of expansive windows helps to blur the line between the natural and built environments, pulling in lots of natural light through the house. To help with the transformation from a traditional ranch to a modern 2-story, the roof line was designed as an abstraction of the original roof elements/slopes. The clients’ “new” home embodies both function and beauty, offering flexibility for future growth while creating a visually stunning composition of spaces.

Summit Ridge is a custom residence on Paris Mountain that reinterprets classic Southern architecture through a modern lens. Designed to harmonize with its wooded mountain setting, the home combines clean lines, refined materials, and enduring craftsmanship. This Paris Mountain custom home embraces its Greenville landscape, offering a sense of retreat, privacy, and balance between the natural and built environments. The exterior features a refined mix of fieldstone, smooth siding, and vertical cedar accents, layered to achieve both warmth and contrast. A standing-seam metal roof, deep overhangs, and cypress porch ceilings emphasize the home’s strong horizontal lines while improving energy efficiency and protection from the elements. Custom aluminum-clad windows and doors bring in natural light and open the interior to expansive mountain views. Exposed steel brackets and precision detailing reveal the craftsmanship that defines Greenville-based CarsonSpeer Builders’ work, where structure and artistry coexist beautifully.

Hudson Valley Sustainable Luxury Welcome to an enchanting haven nestled in the heart of the woods, where iconic, weathered modular cabins, made of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) and reclaimed wood, radiate tranquility and sustainability. With a regenerative, carbon-sequestering design, these serene structures take inspiration from American tonalism, featuring soft edges, blurred details, and a soothing palette of dark white and light brown. Large glass elements infuse the interiors with abundant natural light, amplifying the stunning outdoor scenes, while the modernist landscapes capture nature's essence. These custom homes, adorned in muted, earthy tones, provide a harmonious retreat that masterfully integrates the built environment with its natural surroundings.

Large trendy rooftop outdoor kitchen deck photo in New York with no cover

At Smith & Vansant we worked on several residential scale student residences. Americans learn a lot about what they like in houses during their college years. This place was beloved by 80 years of Dartmouth students. In 1926, the original architect, Jens Frederick Larson, based the design, especially of this porch, on Mont Vernon. The more we worked on reviving this house, the more we loved it too. Builder: O'Hara Gercke. Photo by Rob Karosis.

Creating a garden in Topanga involved an exciting contextual proposition: how best to achieve a balance between the built environment, the rocky hillside and the surrounding native live oak woodland. Specially selected hardscape consisting of Malibu rock and rough-hewn broken concrete married old with new and provided access and definition. A mixed palette of natives and Mediterranean plants joined garden with existing oaks and toyon trees. The resulting effect is one of a layered experience, a transition from semiformal to natural. A visitor to this garden experiences both the feeling of a residential setting and the beckoning wildland beyond.

Saturday, August 22, 9:30am to 5:30pm | Vancouver, Canada | Monteverdi Estates by Cornelia Hahn Oberlander Monteverdi Estates, is a community of twenty custom homes skillfully integrated into steep bedrock and mature forest overlooking Howe Sound. The integration of the built environment with the natural forested mountain setting was the result of an in-depth collaboration between the landscape architect, architect, and engineers. Among groves of Douglas firs and Western red cedars Oberlander has replanted the landscape with lush native plantings. Photo by Michael Elkan

Example of a pool design in Houston

This hotel design is an exemplary model of blending architecture with the surrounding natural landscape. Its flowing, curved lines mimic the undulating rock formations nearby, harmonizing built environments with the organic textures of nature. Strategic placement of palm trees and tropical vegetation around curved pools and cascading water features enhances the sense of a secluded paradise, seamlessly integrating water elements into the architectural framework.

Photography: © Stephen Kent Johnson / OTTO LandFluent was brought onto this remarkable Beverly Hills project by Raymond Jungles, Inc. to provide expert Construction Administration services. Our primary role was to bridge the gap between Raymond Jungles’ design documents and the on-site construction team, ensuring that every detail of the original vision was accurately executed in the built environment. A significant aspect of our work involved collaborating closely with the construction team on the selection, sourcing, and precise placement of each specimen tree and palm, ensuring their delivery, orientation, and integration seamlessly complemented the overall design. From the early stages of site preparation to the final touches of hardscape detailing and understory planting, we remained deeply engaged, overseeing the process with precision and care. It was a privilege to work alongside such a talented team, contributing to a project where every element—from the foundational groundwork to the finest landscape details—was thoughtfully realized to create a truly exceptional space. Scale 1.2 ACRES Scope HARDSCAPE + PLANTING DESIGN Raymond Jungles, Inc. as Design Landscape Architect LandFluent as local Landscape Architect Year 2022 Press Architectural Digest Architecture Studio William Hefner Interior Design Jamie Bush + Co. Landscape Architecture (Design) Raymond Jungles Landscape Architecture (Local) LandFluent General Contractor MG Partners Landscape Contractor Clark & White Landscape Construction Management Stonemark Construction Management Specimen Tree & Palm Suppliers Bob Everett & Calligari & Associates, LLC

Summit Ridge is a custom residence on Paris Mountain that reinterprets classic Southern architecture through a modern lens. Designed to harmonize with its wooded mountain setting, the home combines clean lines, refined materials, and enduring craftsmanship. This Paris Mountain custom home embraces its Greenville landscape, offering a sense of retreat, privacy, and balance between the natural and built environments. The exterior features a refined mix of fieldstone, smooth siding, and vertical cedar accents, layered to achieve both warmth and contrast. A standing-seam metal roof, deep overhangs, and cypress porch ceilings emphasize the home’s strong horizontal lines while improving energy efficiency and protection from the elements. Custom aluminum-clad windows and doors bring in natural light and open the interior to expansive mountain views. Exposed steel brackets and precision detailing reveal the craftsmanship that defines Greenville-based CarsonSpeer Builders’ work, where structure and artistry coexist beautifully.

At Gospel Gardens at Mary Queen of the Universe in Orlando, flowing concrete walkways create a calm rhythm through the landscape and devotional spaces. Warm textures and soft transitions keep the setting grounded and cohesive while complementing the surrounding architecture. Designed for everyday use, the surfaces provide durability, comfort, and a refined connection throughout the garden experience.

Project Tshela is a Live Build Project ran by Unit 2A from the University of Nottingham. The project sees second year students from the Architecture & Built Environment Department work in teams to design and build a creche facility for Mokomotsie Village in the Limpopo region of South Africa. Ben Tynegate - Architectural Photographer based in London

Borrow West Park | Exposed Aggregate At Borrow West Park, Florida Bomanite’s exposed aggregate concrete contributes a natural, durable finish that complements the park’s landscape and outdoor setting. The exposed stone creates visual texture and subtle color variation while providing a practical surface for pedestrian areas. Its understated appearance works well alongside planting, gathering spaces, and other site elements without competing with the overall design. For this project, exposed aggregate helps create a cohesive transition between the built environment and the surrounding landscape, giving Borrow West Park a refined finish suited to everyday public use.