This Private Providence Outdoor Space is an Urban Oasis

A large gas firepit area is framed by a cedar wall and European hornbeams. Photography by Rue Sakayama

Adam Anderson has a gift for turning forlorn, forgotten spaces into vibrant works of art.

The custom-made table is set for autumnal al fresco dining. Photography by Rue Sakayama

Take his 10,000 Suns project, for instance, where the landscape architect planted 10,000 sunflower seeds on vacant I-195 land abutting the Providence River. They took root and bloomed into a Providence phenomenon, with throngs of visitors taking selfies, relaxing on Adirondack chairs and enjoying the cheerful summertime soarers during their brief two-season run.

So it’s no surprise that he’s breathed new life into a disheveled outdoor area in Providence’s Jewelry District, morphing the weed-strewn parcel into a sleek urban garden perfect for entertaining, relaxing by the firepit and admiring the surrounding greenery.

The owners came to him in spring 2019 with their vision of a modern garden. They sought an extension of their indoor space — a chic outdoor living room filled with low-maintenance greenery and plenty of spaces to entertain, with a parking spot that could become part of the patio when not in use.

The outdoor space as seen from above. Photography by Rue Sakayama

“It was just a space at the base of this apartment building that was unused and unkempt,” says Anderson, founding principal of the Providence-based Design Under Sky. “No one was taking advantage of it and the previous owners just left it alone and unused.” 

Anderson sketched out some quick designs for the 1,000-square-foot space during a train ride. He planted tall European hornbeams to form a strong green wall on one side, and a paperbark maple that acts as a buffer between the entertaining and parking space. The elegant tree won’t grow too large and overwhelm the area and has copper-hued peeling bark. In the fall, both trees will turn warm shades of yellow and orange.

The spacious table and concrete bench comfortably seats eight. Photography by Rue Sakayama

He turned to simple materials — stone, concrete, wood — to complement the clean lines of the garden plantings. A cedar fence provides privacy at one end, with a custom automatic-entry security gate — also cedar — at the other end. The seamless structure was one of the more challenging elements to design: It had to swing a certain way, permit pedestrian access from the outside, and shield the garden from curious folks who would sometimes wander into the old space. It took some noodling, but Anderson is pleased with the results. 

The garden before construction. Photography by Rue Sakayama

A cedar backrest is a warm focal point of a concrete bench that serves as an anchor to the dining table, crafted by Anderson’s friends, Gordon and Laura Moss of Functional Aesthetic Design Build in Providence.

A concrete gas firepit completes the space. Due to the tightly knit branches of the European hornbeams and cedar wall, the owners can use the garden in all seasons and still be afforded privacy. 

A custom cedar security gate swings inward and serves as a seamless privacy wall.
Photography by Rue Sakayama

“Even in the wintertime, with the protected nature of the garden, you can get out there in all seasons,” Anderson says. 

A base of pea gravel and custom linear concrete pavers tie everything together, and in a little bit of genius, the parking space has a hidden underground heating system so the owners don’t have to shovel out their car in the winter. 

The project was finished in spring 2021, with Anderson receiving an Honor Award from the R.I. chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects for his design. 

He uses the project with clients to demonstrate that a compact project doesn’t necessarily have to come with tight limitations. 

“You can do a lot with smaller spaces,” he says. “Especially when it’s in the city, it can have a pretty big impact.” 

A paperbark maple, right, serves as a living sculpture that delineates the parking area from the living area. Photography by Rue Sakayama