Anchored into a dramatic basalt escarpment above Alta Lake in Whistler, Donohoe Living Landscapes strikes a bold yet reverent balance between the rugged alpine terrain and the home’s refined architectural form.
Through a series of meticulously crafted interventions, the landscape design choreographs a dialogue between elemental forces—rock and water—dissolving the line between the built environment and the surrounding wilderness.
Photography above by Kayla Poch.
The design draws inspiration from the philosophies of Frank Lloyd Wright, integrating architecture and landscape into a seamless composition where nature is not just preserved, but elevated.
Water features cascade across the site, threading through a series of contemporary hardscapes that mirror the movement and energy of the surrounding landscape.
Underfoot, acid-washed dolomite limestone pavers are laid with intentional irregularity, giving way to sun-drenched pockets of resilient perennials that soften transitions and enhance seasonal texture.
This calculated imperfection invites plant material to spill over and infiltrate the margins, softening the boundary between built and natural elements.
A series of board-formed concrete retaining walls provide essential structure, while simultaneously carving out space for native plantings.
The walls act as both backbone and backdrop—quietly anchoring the terrain while allowing the planting design to soften edges, animate surfaces, and evolve with the seasons.
It’s a seamless choreography of permanence and growth, structure and softness—deliberate yet natural.
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Basalt Black Tusk hexagonal risers emerge organically from the forest floor, nestled among low-maintenance mosses and bunchberry, offering both utility and visual continuity.
Together, these elements create an immersive and restorative outdoor experience—structured, yet inherently tied to the rugged beauty of Whistler’s alpine context.
Throughout the site, stone is both a functional and symbolic material.
Cut basalt boulders echo the commanding rockface from which the home is anchored—including a sculptural slab that houses the firepit’s burner.
Complementing the dark mineral tones of the pool and custom powder-coated steelwork, champagne-grey sandstone was precision-cut to finish terraces and walkways, lending a quiet contrast that enhances the palette’s natural sophistication.
The planting design supports both ecology and experience.
A curated mix of coniferous and deciduous species—including ferns, sedges, and stonecrops—establishes year-round visual interest and resilience in alpine conditions.
Pollinator-friendly selections such as Anaphalis margaritacea (Pearly Everlasting) extend the project’s ecological ethos, anchoring the retreat not only in its geological context, but in a living, evolving landscape.
Donohoe Living Landscapes, founded by Ryan Donohoe, is a Vancouver-based landscape architecture and design studio recognized for its holistic, client-focused approach that seamlessly integrates architecture, ecology, and artistry.
The firm’s work has garnered widespread recognition, including Western Living’s Landscape Designer of the Year award in both 2021 and 2023, along with multiple national and provincial design excellence honors.
From luxurious alpine retreats in Whistler to tranquil urban gardens in West Vancouver, their portfolio encompasses custom water features, sculptural fire pits, architectural hardscapes, green roofs, living walls, poolscapes, and resilient native planting schemes.
Guided by the ethos of “landscape as art,” every project is marked by precision and poetry—from hand-selected materials and crafted timber or stone elements to pollinator-friendly plantings that harmonize with and elevate their surrounding environments.
Landscape Architecture by: Donohoe Living Landscapes
Architecture by: Shelter Residential Design
General Contractor: Dürfeld Constructors
Landscape Contractor: Super Natural Landscapes
Interior Designer by: Josianne Berube
Pool Contractor : Alka Pool Construction
Photography by: Kayla Poch
