Restoring a Marcel Breuer Home and Dan Kiley Landscape in Andover

The low wall at the front entrance of this modernist home is original to the design, but Andover Landscape Design and Construction planted the pachysandra. Bluestone pavers were added, as well as landscape lights for wayfinding at sundown.

Architect Marcel Breuer chose to whitewash some of the exterior stone while he left the rest natural. The juxtaposition creates contrast between light and dark, organic texture and modernity. The combination is found throughout the structure

When the project began, the primary suite patio included an untended koi pond, raised beds, and overgrown bamboo. A meditation garden featuring boulders and haircap moss as well as a seating area took their place.

In a corner of the primary suite patio, a hand-carved stone basin for a recirculating water feature completes the meditation garden.

A handcrafted spa from Maine Cedar Hot Tubs sits under a canopy of trees. The company transforms responsibly harvested cedar into bespoke spas using a fabrication method that allows for the functionality of a fiberglass tub.

A mahogany fence creates privacy around the newly built outdoor shower, while a mahogany hinged swing door doubles as a place to hang towels. The designers selected the water-resistant wood for its patina: it turns a silvery gray when exposed to the elements.

Reviving a Historic Modernist Landscape

“Passion project” doesn’t begin to describe this meaningful commission, according to Russell Stott, partner at Andover Landscape Design and Construction (in Andover, Massachusetts), who drew up a master plan for this singular setting nearly five years ago.

Bordering a pastoral meadow, the site is just over two acres. The home has an impressive provenance; it is one of two in Andover designed by Marcel Breuer, the celebrated modernist architect whose body of work is known for
its simplicity, bold geometry, honest materials, and sense of structure. It was built in 1957.

The original landscape was designed by Dan Kiley, described by Stott as “the godfather of modernist landscape architecture.” Along with form and functionality, both Breuer and Kiley embraced nature as design inspiration.

Stott studied them in landscape architecture school and had been eyeing the property for several years before landing the job. It represented an opportunity like none other: “For me, to even get on the project is kind of like a dream,” he says, “and the fact that we do design-builds in Andover, well, that made it more special.”

Kiley’s design created a transition between the house, the property, and the woods. But over time, it started looking tired, says Stott. “We never set out to redesign anything. We wanted to pick up the conversation between the architecture and landscape,” he says. “We knew it had to be disciplined.”

Completed in three phases, the design team refreshed the front entry and reimagined the primary suite’s garden and the spa garden. Stott and his associate,     Tim Houlihan, designed with restraint and a palette that complements the materials and color tones of the house. “Orthogonal lines pull from the architecture out
into the landscape, unifying the two,” Stott explains. 

Wellness-Inspired Gardens Bring New Life to the Estate

The cadence of the front steps was intentional, as well as the suggestion of “wellness,” a common feature of
landscapes today. “We wanted it to be integrated and not just for decoration,” he says of the handcrafted spa, the water feature, and the zen garden. They hand-sourced large boulders and planted mound moss for a Japanese-inspired look.

In many ways, Stott says, the landscape design is “as much an art installation as anything else.” And the work continues: the kitchen/living room terrace is up next.

Project Team
Landscape design: Andover Landscape Design and Construction