Weston Residence — Resham Bagaria

— BriefProject · 2024–2025

A restrained material palette and layered planting strategy shape this contemporary residential landscape into a calm retreat embedded within its natural surroundings.

Set within a dense woodland context, this contemporary residential landscape reinterprets the traditional backyard as a series of immersive outdoor experiences.

The brief was simply to design a space that felt as though it belonged to the property — quiet, grounded, and inseparable from its surrounding environment.

— At a glance

Project details.

Type

Private Residence

Studio

Glengate Company

Role

Senior Landscape Designer

Guide

Josh Wooldridge

Services

Design, Permitting, Installation

Location

Weston, CT

Year

2024 — Design & Permitting
2025 — Installation

Status

Completed

— Site Reading

The site is defined by its dense woodland setting and sensitive ecological context, with a river corridor adjoining the property and a large portion of the land falling under wetland review. These conditions strongly informed the design approach, requiring a restrained intervention that worked with the existing landscape systems rather than against them.

The design responds to this existing character by balancing clean architectural forms with softer, naturalistic planting inspired by the surrounding forest. Material choices and spatial organisation were carefully considered to ensure the intervention feels grounded within the landscape rather than imposed upon it.

The planting strategy focused on true native species suited to the local ecology, with much of the understory established through hand planting to minimise disturbance to the site and preserve the integrity of the surrounding woodland environment.

— Pool Environment

The project is anchored by a long linear lap pool that establishes a strong architectural axis through the site, creating clear visual structure while extending views into the surrounding woodland. Large-format stone paving and timber decking create seamless transitions between entertainment, relaxation, and circulation spaces, reinforcing a calm and cohesive spatial experience.

A custom timber pergola and integrated amenity zone form a sheltered social hub overlooking the water, balancing openness with enclosure and privacy. The strong geometric framework of the pool and built elements is softened through layered, naturalistic planting and the retained woodland beyond, allowing the landscape to feel both refined and deeply connected to its setting.

— Planting

The planting design balances structure with seasonality. Clipped hedging and rhythmic bands of groundcover define and frame the pool edge, while meadow-style planting and informal woodland species soften the perimeter, extending the garden into the surrounding landscape. Carefully placed boulders and textural grasses reinforce the site's natural character, grounding the intervention within its setting.

Rather than competing with the site, the design aims to dissolve into it — allowing seasonal variation, filtered light, and the shifting atmosphere of the woodland to shape the experience over time.