This residence is located on a small hill, hugged by a narrow creek and in close proximity to a neighboring house. The challenge was to minimize the presence of a subterranean garage and driveway while enhancing a human-scaled entry experience. TELA designed a curving gravel and concrete driveway approach with stepped gardens that slowly unfurl, fostering a marriage of the house with site and landscape. A forest of specimen cedar elm and Mexican plum create a filigree veil in front of the house and provide shade. The existing creek bed was restored with riparian planting and an outdoor ipe deck, enveloped by a retaining wall of maidenhair fern and native columbine, was designed to float above the creek.