The tidepool garden is a celebration of the land-water threshold in Kailua, and the diversity of planting and habitat that defines the surrounding landscape. The heart of the residence is designed around the central pool garden, which is an abstraction of a tide pool. Shelves of stone fold down and return, creating shadows and visual activity along the sides of the pools. The pools ascend to a series of water garden cascades that frame views and make a visual connection to the mountains in the distance. The mountains are “borrowed” into the garden experience, framing the more intimate native plant groupings and areas for gathering and respite within the landscape.  

Within the garden a series of amenities including the pool, spa, fire pit, and several lounging spaces are all seamlessly integrated into a series of stepped wet and dry terraces. The garden is organized by a central walk that serves as the front door, letting visitors and guests arrive through the garden and not through the main house.  The new entry sequence subtly balances program through materiality. The central walk serves as the front door, letting visitors and guests arrive through the garden and not the main house. Stone site walls provide a sense of rhythm as visitors are invited towards the beach.

The central walk is aligned with 'the mokes', an iconic pair of islands in Kailua Bay. The garden reflects the Hawaiian ethos of living outside and having the house completely open and connected to the garden.  Kailua is known for strong prevailing winds 15-30mph.  The design team worked to strategically place the pool pavilion to block wind, and to create a sunken garden where you could be out of the wind and enjoy views of the sky and ocean beyond.  Salt-tolerant native plants were selected to thrive in the site conditions and help build the soil on the site. The water gardens are maintained by fish and incorporate taro, a historic Hawaiian source of food.  A banyan tree creates a sculptural centerpiece in the entry garden and invites visitors to explore the lush native gardens.