The landscape design for Century Housing in Culver City minimizes the visual impact of new office buildings that were recently constructed on the adjacent property while also providing valuable outdoor space. 

The conference rooms originally looked out onto a slope dominated by a concrete drainage swale that could not be removed. The solution was to create a viewing shade garden underneath existing Meleleuca trees with Japanese Maples, Lily Turf, Azaleas, Korean Grass, and well placed boulders. The swale, which previously looked like a scar across the landscape, was turned into an attractive landscape feature by covering it with cobble and designing a new water feature that aligns with the swale, metaphorically connecting the two sources of water. The loose cobble on the swale transforms to stacked stone on the water feature. 

A retaining wall was added to create a level upper and lower courtyard along with a ramp to ensure accessibility. This employee garden area includes a dense hedge, that combined with the sounds from the water feature, reduces road noise. The wood benches placed alongside flagstone paving with decomposed granite and grass joints accentuate the garden feel. A double row of Evergreen Pear trees will provide year round seasonal interest with their fall color and spring blooms.