Private gardens and public spaces

At Es-pai, we view landscape architecture not as a finished product, but as an essential element of every project.

We specialize in the design of Mediterranean gardens, public spaces, and ecologically sensitive environments, guided by technical expertise, sustainability, and functional requirements. Our approach ensures that each outdoor space integrates seamlessly with its surroundings while serving its intended purpose.

Every design emerges from a careful dialogue with the site- its topography, local materials, existing vegetation, and microclimate. Each intervention is thoughtfully adapted to the unique characteristics of the location, resulting in sustainable, functional, and visually coherent landscapes that complement both architecture and nature.

Here, we are pleased to present a selection of our projects.

Vilanant │all phases │3700 m2 │2025

As part of a comprehensive design concept for the transformation of “La Taulera” into a fasting centre, 3,700 m² of existing garden area were thoughtfully restructured. The integration of architectural elements- including a pool with an outdoor kitchen, two pergolas in metal and timber construction, a pedestrian circulation system, and four parking spaces- was carried out in close harmony with the natural surroundings.

A carefully considered planting and lighting scheme ensures a seamless connection to the garden landscape, particularly in the evening hours, creating a tranquil space for rest and contemplation.

Björn Hinners u. Bàrbara Garcia

Navata │all phases │775 m2 │2021

Inspired by a painting created by the client entitled “La Lessive,” a 680 m² garden redesign was developed, featuring an integrated 94 m² swimming pool. The water surface serves as the primary spatial element, organizing the surrounding areas into distinct atmospheres while harmoniously integrating with the existing topography.

By extensively designing the rear garden area, the view from the existing house terrace toward the surrounding landscape remains unobstructed, allowing it to visually extend and integrate seamlessly with the natural environment.

Björn Hinners

Portopetro (Mallorca) │design phase │ 800 m2 │2017

The garden was designed in continuity with the interior spaces of the house, creating a dialogue rich in visual experiences. Tailored to the uses and needs of the residents, the garden is enriched with architectural sub-spaces such as terraces and verandas. At the same time, it responds to the site’s topography and incorporates native plant species typical of the climate on Mallorca’s south coast.

In the areas near the main entrances, the garden takes on a more urban character, while the pool is connected to the veranda and the living-dining area. A more contemplative space, the house’s spa area transitions into a secluded garden, specifically designed for its service functions. Terraces along the northwest façade of the property define the boundary of the garden toward the neighboring plots.

Björn Hinners

Romanyà de la Selva │ all phases│ 50 m2 │25.000€ │2016

The project began following the collapse of a section of an old cemetery wall, with a series of requirements set by the local building authority. Among other conditions, archaeological excavations were to be kept to a minimum, and the use of concrete for stabilizing the remaining structure was mandated.

The old wall is located in the historic center of Romanyà de la Selva, at the foot of the 10th-century church of Sant Martí. It organizes two public spaces with privileged views of the coast and the Gavarres hills. To avoid extensive excavation, a gravity wall was constructed, and the remaining fragment of the original wall was supported internally with several buttresses, integrated into a raised bed design.

To create a dialogue with the existing wall, the concrete was given a relief pattern echoing the rhythm and proportions of the old masonry joints. The new texture, formed using varied formwork panels, imparts a subtle, soft finish to the concrete. The design is completed with new vegetation, the reuse of existing travertine slabs as a wall cap, and details in Corten steel.

 Bàrbara Garcia u. Björn Hinners

Peratallada (Baix Emporda) │ all phases │ 800 m2 │2016

A garden along an old city wall where the richness and variety of the designed elements take center stage. Natural stone, crafted in multiple variations and textures, organizes and defines the different areas of the garden. The vegetation, lush in form, adapts to each space and microclimate, promoting biodiversity through the inclusion of subtropical, aquatic, and Mediterranean species.

Water is incorporated both as a still element and as a flowing source, featured in garden elements such as the pond basin and the drip fountain. Indirect lighting gives the garden a sculptural quality at night, allowing its individual spaces to be perceived in varying ways.

Björn Hinners

Avinyonet de Puigventós │ all phases │ 240 m2 │ 2015

A small garden in the historic center of the Alt Empordà region. The garden responds to the site’s topography and existing trees, organizing a series of smaller spaces tailored to different uses. Various visual perspectives and details are carefully framed throughout the garden.

Three platforms at different levels structure the main spaces and create a division between sunny and shaded areas. The garden is composed of a few carefully chosen elements, allowing each plant and stone to gain prominence and significance within the overall design.

Björn Hinners

Hamburg │ all phases │ 400 m2 │ 35.000€ │ 2014

The intervention aims to redefine the material and formal language of the existing garden. The current vegetation, rich in shrubs and small trees, is preserved and partially relocated. Paved areas are reconfigured, enhancing the overall spatial flow- for example, the street access to the driveway, the stone path, the new wooden deck, as well as the front and main garden areas.

Björn Hinners

Penedés │design phase │ 3500 m2 │ 45.000€ │ 2010

The garden is primarily composed of trees of various species, with virtually no shrubs or perennials. The project builds on the existing structure of the garden and reinterprets it to meet the clients’ needs. They sought a garden with intimate corners and varied atmospheres, designed to be accessible and enjoyable for all types of users.

Björn Hinners

Girona │ all phases │ 90 m2 │ 10.800€ │ 2009

Through the simple act of looking up, one can rediscover the value of a place… to explore the verticality of the space… to be surprised, pause, and return one’s gaze to the wall. Steel cables cross the space to anchor climbing supports to the ground… they are intended to serve as the foundation for six green columns at varying heights…

Björn Hinners, executed in collaboration with the Escola Art Floral de Catalunya

Barcelona │ design phase │ 90 m2 │ 63.000€ │ 2009

After a year of severe drought, the water basins of La Caixa have remained empty and are planned to be transformed into green gardens. The proposed gardens flow like a waving sea of lush greenery, and the horizontal movement of this vegetation creates a dialogue with the organic verticality of the building. In this way, the observer’s view from Avinguda Diagonal is intended to be enhanced and amplified.

Björn Hinners

Jever │ all phases │ 1000 m2 │ 2004

Acting as a microcosm with over 80 plant species spread across 1,000 m², this garden resembles a small botanical laboratory. In the 100-year-old private garden, experimental miniature landscapes have been gradually integrated, creating a layered and evolving composition.

Björn Hinners 

Flix │ all phases │ 1800 m2 │ 120.149€ │ 2011

The goal of the intervention was to improve and stabilize access to the site and to reinforce the existing slopes. The construction was carried out using limestone gabions to secure the embankments along the access path, while maintaining the original alignment.

The choice of gabion walls offered a solution that required no additional surface treatments for aesthetic purposes and presented clear economic advantages compared to reinforced concrete walls. At the same time, the approach provided significant environmental benefits.

Björn Hinners u. Bàrbara Garcia

Ebro-Delta │ project │ 150 ha │ 2006

The “lagoon” areas located in the southern part of the Ebro Delta are the only remaining natural ecosystems within the entire delta region. Serving as resting and breeding grounds for migratory birds along the north-south route, this ecosystem plays an indispensable role for both fauna and flora. The Ebro Delta is up to 90% intensively cultivated, and traditional rice farming in the region is of essential importance to the local population.

Accordingly, the starting point of this project was to promote a balanced coexistence between the natural environment and the people living in the area. On one hand, the project seeks to revitalize the southern edge of the lagoons in the Ebro Delta; on the other, it aims to improve the quality and promotion of local products to strengthen the region’s image.

Björn Hinners, Elisabeth Sjodahl, Jessica Gamboa u. Matteo Zamagni

Vacarisses │ project │ 30 ha │ 2005  

The fundamental concept of this project is based on the formation process of the Vacarisses landfill, which grew layer by layer over several decades. The basic topographic structure, modeled and divided into five terraces, serves as the framework for the planned drainage system, slope stabilization, vegetation, and primary access routes. A new “landscape terracing system” establishes the foundation for a dynamic new landscape, aimed at restoring the old 30-hectare landfill.

Björn Hinners, Anna Bonet u. Sara Machado 

Girona │ temporary installation │ 2009  

Invited to an international Land Art Festival in 2009, a temporary nature installation was created in a very short time in the Devesa City Park in Girona. The approximately 2,500 plane trees planted by Napoléon form a canopy over the entire park, transforming it into a seemingly sterile hall of columns. Its immediate proximity to the Ter River- protected by a levee and separated by a linear city parking area- tends to obscure the presence of water. Originally, the city park was an extensive wetland rich in fauna and flora.

A composition of found river stones and deadwood, along with a sculpted, undulating earth form, was designed to temporarily evoke the park’s connection to the element of water, creating a fleeting, ephemeral experience.

Björn Hinners u. Idoia Lizeaga

Montseny │ tempoary installation │ 2009  

A ruby-red stone lies partially hidden in a side pool of the Tordera River. Due to the complexity of all surrounding elements—such as the vegetation, carefully arranged stones, and the interplay of light and shadow—it appears almost concealed. A “river window” was created from meticulously collected pieces of driftwood, assembled piece by piece. In the end, this composition frames a focused view of the stone, turning it into a protagonist within the natural spectacle of the Tordera.

Björn Hinners u. Idoia Lizeaga