Upper Mission #1

Project Description

Perched above Okanagan Lake along Lakeshore Road, this exceptional waterfront property presented both extraordinary opportunities and significant design challenges. With an elevation change of nearly 50 feet from the road to the lakeside patio, the landscape required a thoughtful design approach that would seamlessly integrate the home with its dramatic natural surroundings while fulfilling the clients' vision for functional outdoor living.

The Challenge

The original landscape was heavily overgrown with mature trees and shrubs, creating a dense, unmanaged environment. During the design process, existing features were carefully evaluated, preserving a mature oak tree, several established privacy trees, and the protected riparian area as key elements of the new landscape.

Completed over three phases spanning over three years, the project progressed from the lakeshore upward toward the street. The complexity of the site demanded meticulous planning and daily coordination. Material handling, equipment movement, and construction sequencing were carefully orchestrated to maximize efficiency and minimize unnecessary handling on the steep terrain, including a temporary ramp built over exposed bedrock to reach the lower landscape. That same bedrock was later transformed into a unique outdoor shower, turning a construction challenge into a distinctive design feature.

The Final Product

From concept through completion, constant collaboration between the homeowners, design team, construction crews, and specialized subcontractors was essential. Clear communication and careful coordination ensured that every phase was executed to the highest standard, resulting in a landscape that successfully balances engineering, craftsmanship, and timeless design.

The result is a landscape that transforms a challenging waterfront site into a seamless series of outdoor living spaces, demonstrating how thoughtful design, engineering, and craftsmanship can work together to enhance both the property and its natural surroundings.

The Highlights

The front landscape features a series of architectural concrete retaining walls, terraces, and stairways that gracefully navigate the changing elevations while creating a welcoming entrance. Carefully selected plantings, natural boulders, and a dramatic 12-foot pondless waterfall add texture, movement, and year-round interest. Custom Corten steel planters were integrated around exposed bedrock outcroppings and integrated into the concrete retaining walls. The warm patina of the steel provides a contemporary contrast against the natural stone while reinforcing the property's refined architectural character.

The upper driveway and parking area required substantial structural engineering, including engineered retaining walls and the excavation and removal of more than 200 cubic yards of fill material to support the roadside and establish suitable grades for a new heated driveway and parking area.