St. Ignatius College Preparatory This project is to design a new Northen campus for one of the oldest schools in San Francisco. Due to its close vicinity to the coast, the site is always foggy and windy. The careful selection of plants to enhance the site is required.The school wants to ultimately build three new […]

Unique Features Incorporating even a single standout element can transform your entire landscape. In this design, a pentagonal hot tub, along with varied retaining wall and paver dimensions, adds a whimsical, unexpected twist. Living walls can act as an art piece. Garden sculptures can also create much visual intrique. Architectural features—like trellises or sheds—can be

An Artist’s Garden When the family added a guesthouse, a garage and reconfigured the driveway, it was also time to rethink the landscape. The lot is steep and studded with oak trees, and there was already a strong use of natural materials such as stone, wood and metal.  We created a geometric paving pattern in

Sierra Towers The two office towers share an entrance plaza that was in need of updating. The plaza presented several challenges: it is shaded by the towers for most of the day and the two towers create a wind tunnel through the plaza. The area is on bay fill and the soil is unstable and

Hamlin School The Hamlin School is a highly regarded K-8 private girl’s school located in San Francisco.  Shades of Green in collaboration with MCA designed a rooftop terrace that will serve as a flexible outdoor learning environment for young students of all ages and capabilities, to engage with nature, peers, and educators in both learning

The Logan Apartments Logan Apartments is a new 204 unit, 6 story Residential/ Mixed use building with an extensive urban farm on the roof top, a dramatic green walled entry feature and redwood lined park on the North that connects adjacent Frog Park and the project’s own retail corridor.  Plants were selected to thrive in

Sanctuary SF At the entrance of this Pacific Heights home, a row of newly planted olive trees creates a soft, dappled tunnel of light leading to the front door. These trees echo the mature olive at the street, creating continuity while enhancing privacy for both the home’s interior and exterior. Lush green plantings envelop the

Art Walk As you descend into this small and steep lot, you are taken on a path filled with art.  The home received a thoughtful redesign with a new entrance, mailbox, and front stairs, setting the tone for a curated experience. Collaborating closely with the homeowners, we integrated their favorite art pieces directly into the

Modern Minimalism This sleek, modern home was designed with a large family in mind. The landscape follows a minimalist approach, complementing the architecture while leaving generous open space for children to run and play freely. Low-growing, drought-tolerant plantings introduce a soft, organic texture to the clean lines of the design. A muted palette harmonizes with