Jamaica Plain Residence

This Jamaica Plain residence demonstrates how high-performance design and landscape can work in harmony to create a home that is both resilient and deeply livable. Set on a steep urban site, the landscape transforms challenging topography into a series of purposeful outdoor rooms, using terraced garden beds, lawn steps, and carefully integrated circulation to connect the house to its hillside setting. An outdoor kitchen and deck seamlessly to a generous lawn and shed, creating a backyard that feels both expansive and intimate.

In the front landscape, green infrastructure is woven into the planting design to manage storm events while supporting a robust mix of plantings suited to fluctuating moisture conditions. Throughout the site, the landscape balances structure and softness, pairing cleanly detailed hardscape with layered planting to bring seasonal interest, function, and ecological value to the property.

The result is a landscape that elevates the home’s net-zero ambitions with outdoor spaces designed for everyday use, gathering, and retreat. The project was recognized with two 2025 PRISM Awards, including Best Performance / Energy Efficient Home and Best Single-Family Home: 4,500 to 6,000 Square Feet.