Client:

Private Residence

Engineers:

Brunzell Associates, Giles Engineering Associates

Contractors:

Wisconsin Lawn Sprinkler, Fabbri Masonry, TOR Construction Co., Lake Shore Specialties, Flectro Painters, The Fisher Burton Co.

Consultants:

Eubanks & Assoc., Dirt ‘n Turf Consulting, Inc., Shabica & Assoc.

Category:

Residential Design

To stabilize a steep and fragile 60-foot high bluff on a lakefront property, the landscape architect created a master plan to recapture 400 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline. After reviewing existing options for lakefront property in the area, the client, an ardent environmentalist and advocate of open-lands conservation, encouraged the design team to seek alternatives for preserving and enhancing the bluff. A concrete-block retaining wall was selected for its excellent provisions for geosynthetics and was built in small increments. This allowed for the least disruption of the slope during construction. A cutting-edge drainage system was added to help stabilize the slope.

Once the wall work was completed, a new plant palette was assembled comprising hardy Midwest trees, shrubs and perennials chosen to survive the harsh weather near the lake. The design blends a Prairie aesthetic with ideas garnered from great Italian lake villas. The finished slope features a series of zigzagged walkways with terraces along the way. A boathouse, also a part of the retaining wall, was added as well. In total, the property presents a landmark study for novel erosion-control techniques and slope stabilization. The work benefits a fragile ecosystem in the context of a historically significant landscape.