We mixed an invigorating botanical blend for city residents. You can take a morning walk in the woods before work and watch the micro-life of the grasses, flowers, and birds. You can also curl up with a book in the chaise lounge in a cozy shade, looking out over the river. And all these small pleasures are right outside your window.
Taloni has a clear, easy-to-read layout. Six residential blocks are spread across the entire site split into equal quadrants. The blocks are similar and include two many-stored units with a common stylobate. Our challenge was to overcome isolation by forging inward connections and arranging greenery on two levels: landscaping at walking areas and rooftop lounges.
We came up with a navigation idea that's as beautiful as it is practical. It is difficult for kids, visiting grandparents, and friends to identify the house in a community of twin houses. So at each block, we proposed to the developer to make areas with a smartly mixed forest with a predominance of one kind of tree. The walk — from maple, to birch, to lilac groves — is easy to follow and genuinely enjoyable.
When dealing with community development, we imagine the landscape from the ground and floor levels. From above, our different densities and hues of natural plantings will resemble rippling rivers and verdant backwaters, creating a truly picturesque effect. Plus on the ground, we reflected the geometric elements of the facades: we repeated them in the design of the paving, benches, and lamps. They'll contrast beautifully with the softer, organic forms rising above ground: tree crowns, entryway canopies, pergolas, and swing-set roofs.
Multi-level landscaping always benefits a community's residents. The area around their homes feels calm, with light, unobstructed foot traffic. The perimeter of the stylobate has static areas for contemplation, reading, children’s games, yoga, and workouts. We also raised flowerbeds on the rooftops to plant not just lawns, but tall grasses too. It’s not yet a forest like the one on the ground, but it’s already a small grove.
