BERNICE
WA H L ER
L A N D SC A P E S
New Silver Marsh Residence North Falmouth, Massachusetts
Sited to overlook a salt marsh, this yearround home maintains its connections to the surrounding landscape using bold masses of indigenous plants to reinforce the Cape Cod vernacular of this reinvented cottage home. Monolithic hedges of Hydrangea and Inkberry set up outdoor spaces that blur the lines between a traditional driveway and courtyard. The parking requirements and vehicular circulation occur within a greater arrival courtyard seamlessly serving visitors, cars, trikes, and impromptu kick ball games. The site is book ended with native vegetation that nestles this active family’s home quietly into its wooded settings. architect: Salt Architecture photographer: Alissa Hike Harris
Stone Wall Orchard Residence New Canaan, Connecticut
This New Canaan property was transformed to provide a ceremonious arrival sequence that builds off the existing native woodland setting. The site design slowly transitions visitors through an entry sequence where native plants begin to be architecturally organized to create an arrival court that reflects the surrounding wooded environment. architect: Jill Neubauer Architects contractor: Fernando Neupmann
this page: courtyard perspective, birdseye view; next page: site plan
previous page: courtyard studies, this page:completed view
Wings Neck Residence Bourne, Massachusetts
Barefoot, grilling, evening fires, camping, lawn games, laughing‌.program elements for this seasonal use family home. The simple site plan has a restrained style to reflect the spirit of place. Functional outdoor spaces are created from gravel and lawn. The proposed planting types use plant material originating in the surrounding natural landscape. The proposed planting areas are meaningfully organized to enhance outdoor spaces and reinforce the arrival sequence for visitors. architect: Jill Neubauer Architects contractor: Kevin McLaughlin & Sons, Inc.
courtyard perspective
Coastal Woodland Residence Brewster, Massachusetts Certified LEED Silver
Surrounded by coastal upland forest, this residence was designed to co-exist with its surroundings. The house is situated on the southernmost end of the property with the majority of the property consisting of contiguous restored coastal woodland. A low-maintenance fescue lawn provides the canvas for outdoor games as well as functions as a sloped plane directing runoff to adjacent plantings for cleansing and infiltration. A quarry end slab of bluestone is re-purposed as a ‘sunning’ block, a place to sit, a stage for impromptu plays and other imaginative games. The restored woodland beyond is an extension of the surrounding native vegetation. These layers of native plants and sizes emulate the native community of plants allowing for natural succession and long-term stability with minimal management. The site design celebrates the management of site water through finely crafted infiltration boxes of bluestone and beach stones that capture the roof runoff, allowing it to infiltrate and recharge the aquifer. The gravel parking areas are designed to store one inch of rainwater and allow the water to naturally infiltrate into the sandy soil below. Through these measures and others the site and house restore a previously developed site to the natural beauty of the Outer Cape captured in American artist Edward Hopper’s paintings. architect: Jill Neubauer Architects contractors: Cape Associates and Ponderosa Landscaping photographer: Meredith Hunnibell
Trees and Road, Edward Hopper 1962,inspiration for forest restoration; tree density diagrams of surrounding model forests
this page: site plan; next page: restored woodland edge
ground plane planting
canopy layer planting
flowering border study
this page; view of garden from parking area; next pages: rain water scupper, beach stone splash pad, detail view of beach stone infiltration box
this page: detail view of stone sunning slab; next page: stone sunning slab at woodland edge
guest cottage court with restored woodland beyond
Sippewissett Residence Falmouth, Massachusetts
The site design for this home creatively sculpts functional level outdoor space from what was once a wooded knoll. The upper lawn maintains a strong connection to the lower play area through the use of lawn steps. The swimming pool and terrace are slightly depressed for discrete views from the main house. Working closely with the architect and owner, the building was sighted to maximize the usable yard space and takes advantage of the site’s grade changes to provide a fully furnished walk-out lower level. architect: Salt Architecture
West Hyannisport Residence West Hyannisport, Massachusetts
With views of popular Craigsville Beach this seasonal house kicks into high gear in the summer. The site and pool were designed to magnify and focus views to the horizon. The pool and terrace were depressed to lower them within the main view. The ground plane further reinforces the gesture to the open view by using a subtle paving pattern that leads the eye across the pool and out to the ocean. The spa and wall set up balanced bookends for the pool terrace within this formal setting and frame the horizon view. Nestled in an area more protected by wind, an outdoor fire feature draws guests out of the screened porch onto an outdoor terrace for evening entertaining. architect: Patrick Ahern contractor: EJ Jaxtimer photographer: Dan Cutrona Photography
Sandy Neck Residence East Sandwich, Massachusetts
This seasonal residence was extensively regraded to create level outdoor areas. Lawn steps and bluestone steppers are used to casually link lawn areas. Readily available native materials are used throughout to create a timeless landscape. contractor: EJ Jaxtimer
bluestone lawn steps with monolithic granite steps
Nashawena Harbor House West Falmouth, Massachusetts
Comprised of two lots, the site design provides usable outdoor terraces, parking areas, and gardens while maximizing an environmentally sensitive buffer critical for the protection of the abutting salt marsh. The project involved extensive permitting and approvals by FEMA and the local Conservation Commission. architect: Jill Neubaurer Architects contractor: Village Restoration
courtyard study
Pine Hills Courtyard Plymouth, Massachusetts
This intimate courtyard was transformed into a series of outdoor spaces by layering plants both horizontally and vertically to create intimate outdoor rooms. The planting design layers hedges with bold masses of perennials and incorporates a Birch canopy to create an outdoor ceiling. Outside the kitchen door is a space for morning coffee or casual dining. An outdoor fireplace and long hearth define the outdoor living room for evening entertaining. contractor: Landscape Creations of Rhode Island
gravel garden detail
previous page: planting detail; this page: conceptual perspective from house, site plan
West Bay Residence Osterville, Massachusetts
Situated with sweeping views of West Bay, the site design creates a level lawn waterside plinth to create outdoor entertaining spaces. Native stone walls abut restored coastal bank habitat. A meandering path defined by stone steps weaves through the native vegetation leading to the lower dock. contractors: EJ Jaxtimer, Joyce Landscaping, Inc photographer: Dan Cutrona Photography
view to West Bay
view of house plinth from path to dock
Buzzards Bay Residence Falmouth, Massachusetts
Located along the banks of a salt pond, this residence has a tree-house-like responsiveness to the abutting native Oak woodland. Working with the drama of the tree trunks backlit by the sparkle of Buzzards Bay, the proposed building will sit on trunk-like columns with decks extending into the surrounding landscape. Extensive environmental permitting was required to achieve this intimate relationship to the abutting protected coastal bank. The project includes ongoing invasive species management and restoration of the native understory canopy within the protected landscape abutting the salt pond. The site plan builds off of the bold architecture with stone walls reinforcing the distinct building forms. architect: Jill Neubauer Architects contractor: Cape Associates
concept sketch, spatial study
entry perspective, relationship studies
birdseye view
Oyster Harbors Residence Osterville, Massachusetts
Setting up a dramatic view for summertime entertaining, this seasonal use landscape emphasizes the site’s dramatic views to West Bay. The infinity edge pool is sited off to the side of the main entertaining terrace, leaving open clear views from the main living room to the natural vegetation bank and bay. contractor: EJ Jaxtimer
site plan
study model collage
Bernice Wahler Bernice specializes in the detailed design of private residences. She has a distinct appreciation for her clients’ goals and priorities that provide the foundation for her designs. She carefully merges these goals with an understanding of and inspiration from the site’s context and a commitment to developing resilient solutions. With over fifteen years of experience, Bernice has developed and executed landscapes that are of enduring quality and celebrate the uniqueness of their surroundings. She has practiced with leading design firms in the United States and Asia including EDSA Orient, Douglas Hoerr Landscape Architecture, and Pressley Associates. Most recently she was an Associate at Stephen Stimson Associates on Cape Cod from 2005 through 2012. While at SSA, she collaborated with clients, architects, engineers and contractors on award winning private residences and institutions in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, Maine, and Michigan. In 2012 she founded Bernice Wahler Landscapes to specialize on the detail design of private residences. These have been primarily for coastal sites where Bernice has a strong understanding of the regulations and approval process required in the development of these properties. She prides herself on listening and collaborating with clients, architects, engineers, regulatory agencies, and contractors in the realization of these projects.
Bernice Wahler Landscapes Design Studio
124 MA-6A Sandwich, Massachusetts
Project List Adams Street Residence Milton, MA
Oyster Harbors Residence Osterville, MA
Bass River Residence Yarmouth, MA architect: Patrick Ahern Architect
Oyster Pond Residence Falmouth, MA architect: Jill Neubauer Architects
Buzzards Bay Residence Falmouth, MA architect: Jill Neubauer Architects
Pine Hills Courtyard Plymouth, MA
Buzzards Bay Avenue Residence Woods Hole, MA design architect: Preston Scott Cohen architect: Jill Neubauer Architects Charlestown Residence Charlestown, RI Coastal Woodland Residence Brewster, MA architect: Jill Neubauer Architects Little Island Residence West Falmouth, MA architect: Beatrice Bunker Marsh View Residence West Falmouth, MA Main Street Residence Osterville, MA Nashawena Harbor House West Falmouth, MA architect: Jill Neubauer Architects Old Main Farm North Falmouth, MA architect: Jill Neubauer Architects
Saconesset Hills Residence West Falmouth, MA Sandy Neck Residence Sandwich, MA architect: Patrick Ahern Architect Seaview Residence Osterville, MA Shawme Pond Residence Sandwich, MA architect: Salt Architecture Sippewissett Residence West Falmouth, MA architect: Salt Architecture Snug Harbor Residence West Falmouth, MA architect: Jill Neubauer Architects Stonewall Orchard Residence New Canaan, CT architect: Jill Neubauer Architects The Jelly House Sandwich, MA
Village Residence Sandwich, MA architect: Salt Architecture West Bay Residence Osterville, MA West Hyannisport Residence West Hyannisport, MA architect: Patrick Ahern Architect New Silver Marsh Residence North Falmouth, MA architect: Salt Architecture Wing’s Neck Residence Bourne, MA architect: Jill Neubauer Architects
bernicewahlerlandscapes.com | 774 269 5429 | bernice@bernicewahler.com