Designer, activist, academic,
and author of Lo—TEK,
Design by Radical Indigenism.
A leading expert of Lo—TEK nature-based technologies for climate-resilience.
Her eponymously named studio brings creative and conceptual, interdisciplinary thinking to urban projects and corporate clients interested in systemic and sustainable change. Julia regularly teaches urban design at Harvard and Columbia University.

Valentino Garavini Residence
in Holland Park, London
Date: 2004
Location: Holland Park, UK
Project Team: Julia Watson for Randle Siddeley Associates + Alain Bouvire Architects
Client: Valentino Garavini
Julia was the landscape designer for the haute couture clothing designer’s Holland Park residence.
The previous owner had designed a very modern, contemporary, and structured garden. The Client wanted the opposite and wished to create a romantic, classical garden with a sense of calm and serenity. The challenge was to transform the dull, contemporary, structured garden into a romantic, classical haven. The clients wanted tranquility and a mainly white garden, but also wanted enough space for their children to play football or cricket. So, RSL set out to create five distinct areas and began the transformation by laying a newly designed black and white path at the front of the house flanked by magnolias and yew hedging.
The rear-espaliered trees were retained and introduced as an avenue of trees dividing the main terrace and lawn (it also served to disguise a ventilation shaft). A delicate pergola was created, festooned with clematis and roses. A faux studded door with an inset paneled mirrored finish set in the back wall deceives the eye into thinking it’s looking out into the park. Meanwhile, the big lawn for the children to play on is screened by beech and espalier hornbeam. A water feature, antique classical urns, and wooden obelisks and pyramids for rambling white roses, further contribute to creating the abundantly flowering, classical arbor that the clients wanted.






