Landscape Design
WHEN CONSIDERING HOME DESIGN, MOST THINK OF THE INTERIOR. But in Hawai‘i, where indoor/outdoor living is common, creating an appealing exterior look is vital. That’s where landscape architecture is key.
Jason Umemoto, one-half of the husband-and-wife team at award-winning Umemoto Cassandro Design Corporation (his wife and business partner, Nancy Cassandro, is the current ASLA Hawai‘i Chapter president), says that a landscape architect’s role is precisely as it sounds: they are the architect for our landscape and garden spaces.
It’s a simple explanation, but it’s by no means a simple role. “Plant selection is one visible component of the design, but the landscape architect will also provide design for pathways, lighting, lanais, water features and garden structures,” he explains. “A good comprehensive approach will also provide the proper infrastructure of soil, irrigation and amendments to achieve a beautiful landscape while being sensitive to the wider environment by focusing on water and energy conservation, use of sustainable materials, avoiding invasive species and providing climate resilient design solutions.”
Our penchant for indoor/outdoor living is another reason to focus on the outdoors. “In Hawai‘i, many of the most important areas of a home are the interior/exterior transitions, like the lanais,” Umemoto says, adding that a clear understanding of landscaping goals helps guide design solutions.
No matter what features a homeowner is looking for, working in concert with a landscape architect is important to ensuring success. “A landscape architect would start by involving the owner by understanding the preferences and desired effect of a given landscape area and then develop ideas that try to provide the best fit of solutions,” Umemoto explains. He adds that, again, this isn’t just about plants. It’s about layout, garden structures (walls, benches, etc.), lighting and even water features.
Umemoto says that he’s noticed a trend toward more modern designs, and a preference for tropical plants. “The plant palette is still tropical and Hawaiian plant-based, but the organization of the garden tends to be a more simple plant list with more formal arrangement of plants and edges,” he says. “Pathways tend to be more axial than meandering. Of course, each owner is different, and we still get our tropical oasis requests, but I think there has been a clear shift to more simple, contemporary styles to the landscape design in recent years.”
The use of native materials, such as plants and basalt stone is also trending. “The residences that we have been working on recently have a strong sense of being in Hawai‘i, versus something pan-tropical,” he says, adding a preference for sustainability and water-consciousness.
“Many of our native plants are endangered and most only grow here,” he says, adding knowledge of one’s environment is crucial to deciding which plants to use, as the growing conditions—soil, sun, temperatures—vary between different areas of each island.
“I think the pandemic has shown how important our landscape environments are to both our enjoyment and to our collective health,” Umemoto adds. “I think everyone has their own idea of what an oasis is.”
And, a good landscape architect can make that oasis a reality.
Umemoto Cassandro Design Corp., (808) 254-8702, uchawaii.com