If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.

- Cicero

In the interplay depicted within Cicero's timeless quote—the relationship between the built environment and its surrounding landscape—lies an elegantly simple philosophy of garden-making and is the very embodiment of the studio’s practice.

Just as a built structure and its surrounding garden synthesize to create a harmonious whole, our design philosophy revolves around the integration of architectural form and the cultivated landscape. This synergy is at the heart of our ethos, which involves a meticulous curation of materials, forms, volumes, and aesthetics enhancing the overall visual appeal and functional coherence of exterior spaces.

The guiding principles set forth by Cicero's insight resonate deeply within our approach. The union of structural design with cultivated nature entails a nuanced understanding of how outdoor spaces interact with the surrounding landscape, climate, and architecture itself. Of primary concern is the emotional response our clients have to the spaces we conceive. Our designs are specifically fashioned to serve as conduits, transporting clients to memories or emotions, be they actual or envisioned.

As importantly, Cicero’s recognition of the parity between the constructed environment and its natural surroundings shapes our belief that gardens are communal realms shared by our human clients and native wildlife, the latter we consider our secondary clients. In light of this, our emphasis lies in crafting diverse plant communities, thereby transforming gardens into hubs of micro-level ecological and habitat revitalization adding another layer of vitality to the space. This facilitates a direct and tangible connection between our clients and their gardens. They become stewards of these new spaces and as such assume a role that extends beyond human-centric design, embracing a holistic responsibility for the well-being of the garden and all its inhabitants.