Slide Show: Design Lessons at Lewis & Clark
April 30, 2013
Lewis & Clark garden
M. Lloyd Frank built his Fir Acres estate in 1926 on Palatine Hill in Southwest Portland. The architect of the manor house was Herman Brookman. The house opens onto a view east to Mt. Hood. Here, we look back to the house, west across the lush lawn.
Lewis & Clark lower garden
Further east in the garden, a look back at the house shows it receding into the trees and many layers of the garden.
Lewis & Clark - side view east along lawn path and pool
Even on a rainy day in early spring, with Mt. Hood nowhere in sight and the roses merely buds, the garden is stunning to look at.
Lewis & Clark - lower garden terrace view south
Rough cut stone in the garden contrasts with lush, velvety lawn on certain paths not meant to be walked upon often.
Lewis & Clark - lower garden southeast view
Steps leading to the shallow pool (here, empty), which is laid out on the axis from the Frank House to the view of Mt. Hood.
Lewis & Clark - lower garden terrace and pergola
The garden estate tumbles down the hill in stately, graceful layers, like this colorful paved terrace that opens onto a grassy lawn.
Lewis & Clark - garden pergola detail
The stone terrace is sheltered by a stone pergola; similar materials used throughout the garden provide an atmosphere of coherence even though the space of the garden is vast.
Lewis & Clark - paving
Paving materials change as the garden of the Frank estate transitions to other parts of the Lewis & Clark campus, which was built around it.
Lewis & Clark - paving detail gutter
Rough cut stone pavers form the main path and a stone gutter, with variations in cut, color, and layout creating differences within the overall similarity of materials. The "layering" creates a natural transition to the adjacent planted, mossy earth.
Lewis & Clark - paving detail with variety of stones
Paving materials are all stone, but appropriately different shapes and color, depending on which part of the path they form: main area to be walked upon, intersecting path, visual edge, or loose pebbles adjacent to the planted area.
Lewis & Clark - paving and planting
Paving around the College buildings are less fanciful than in the Frank House garden, but still high quality.
