Arbors

An Arbor is both landscape window and doorway, through which one experiences a sense of threshold.

Vine draped Arbor as both landscape window and pathway. Built of timber bamboo as scaffold; overhead, vines are entwined into a supportive mesh.

Rebar Arbor as shaded entry to backyard entryway.

Check out the bends in these rebar legs; its as if this viney backed monster is ready to walk off with the children.

Rebar is one of those unsung hero's as an aesthetic. It comes in various diameters, lengths and patterns (from spirals to knots). Unrefined and organic it complements the tendrils of climbing vines.

Overhead rebar Arbor marking transition between gated gardens.

My preference is to let the rebar rust. Occasionally I will speed this process up with some accelerate. Less frequently I will stop the finish and seal it with a lacquer.

And on very rare occasions I will send the rebar out to be powder coated - for a dressed-up, Saturday night look.

Perhaps getting too carried away with rebar...?

Wall mount Arbor demarcating nothing but itself....

Well, actually not true, there is a narrow door sandwiched in there.

Arbor as passageway. Overbuilt to accommodate seriously aggressive vines (think southern France). 6 x 6 cedar posts and quarter inch steel flat bar.

The shop drawings were a bitch, and field installation gave new meaning to the concept & application of the word 'plumb'.

North Courtyard Entry

A site plan sketch: study of two courtyard entry Arbors.

Note that in the sketch both Arbors' pickets run the length of the Arbors, whereas in the 'as-built' the north Arbor's pickets conform to the sketch, while the east Arbor's pickets run perpendicular.

Such field-design modifications are what make design/build preferable to the separation of specializations.

No delays in 'change-orders' between architect, builder & client, and instead the fluidity of the arch/builder to make changes beneficial to the overall project.

Of course this puts the weight on the arch/builder, there is no finger-pointing here. A skilled design/builder relish's such responsibility and the accompanying freedom inherent therein.

AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO LANDSCAPE DESIGN

ARBORS

Vine draped Arbor as both landscape window and pathway. Built of timber bamboo as scaffold; overhead, vines are entwined into a supportive mesh.

Rebar Arbor as shaded entry to backyard entryway.

Check out the bends in these rebar legs; its as if this viney backed monster is ready to walk off with the children.

Rebar is one of those unsung hero's as an aesthetic. It comes in various diameters, lengths and patterns (from spirals to knots). Unrefined and organic it complements the tendrils of climbing vines.

Overhead rebar Arbor marking transition between gated gardens.

My preference is to let the rebar rust. Occasionally I will speed this process up with some accelerate. Less frequently I will stop the finish and seal it with a lacquer.

And on very rare occasions I will send the rebar out to be powder coated - for a dressed-up, Saturday night look.

Perhaps getting too carried away with rebar...?

Wall mount Arbor demarcating nothing but itself....

Well, actually not true, there is a narrow door sandwiched in there.

Arbor as passageway. Overbuilt to accommodate seriously aggressive vines (think southern France). 6 x 6 cedar posts and quarter inch steel flat bar.

The shop drawings were a bitch, and field installation gave new meaning to the concept & application of the word 'plumb'.

North Courtyard Entry

A site plan sketch: study of two courtyard entry Arbors.

Note that in the sketch both Arbors' pickets run the length of the Arbors, whereas in the 'as-built' the north Arbor's pickets conform to the sketch, while the east Arbor's pickets run perpendicular.

Such field-design modifications are what make design/build preferable to the separation of specializations.

No delays in 'change-orders' between architect, builder & client, and instead the fluidity of the arch/builder to make changes beneficial to the overall project.

Of course this puts the weight on the arch/builder, there is no finger-pointing here. A skilled design/builder relish's such responsibility and the accompanying freedom inherent therein.

East Courtyard Entry

ARBORS

Vine draped Arbor as both landscape window and pathway. Built of timber bamboo as scaffold; overhead, vines are entwined into a supportive mesh.

Rebar Arbor as shaded entry to backyard entryway.

​

Check out the bends in these rebar legs; its as if this viney backed monster is ready to walk off with the children.

​

Rebar is one of those unsung hero's as an aesthetic. It comes in various diameters, lengths and patterns (from spirals to knots). Unrefined and organic it complements the tendrils of climbing vines.

Overhead rebar Arbor marking transition between gated gardens.

​

My preference is to let the rebar rust. Occasionally I will speed this process up with some accelerate. Less frequently I will stop the finish and seal it with a lacquer.

And on very rare occasions I will send the rebar out to be powder coated - for a dressed-up, Saturday night look.

Perhaps getting too carried away with rebar...?

Wall mount Arbor demarcating nothing but itself....

Well, actually not true, there is a narrow door sandwiched in there.

Arbor as passageway. Overbuilt to accommodate seriously aggressive vines (think southern France). 6 x 6 cedar posts and quarter inch steel flat bar.

The shop drawings were a bitch, and field installation gave new meaning to the concept & application of the word 'plumb'.

North Courtyard Entry

A site plan sketch: study of two courtyard entry Arbors.

Note that in the sketch both Arbors' pickets run the length of the Arbors, whereas in the 'as-built' the north Arbor's pickets conform to the sketch, while the east Arbor's pickets run perpendicular.

Such field-design modifications are what make design/build preferable to the separation of specializations.

No delays in 'change-orders' between architect, builder & client, and instead the fluidity of the arch/builder to make changes beneficial to the overall project.

Of course this puts the weight on the arch/builder, there is no finger-pointing here. A skilled design/builder relish's such responsibility and the accompanying freedom inherent therein.

East Courtyard Entry

​