Máximo Vercelli: landscaping, design and spaces that grow over time in Punta del Este
With more than 35 years of experience, Máximo Vercelli conceives landscaping as a living process in which design is projected over the long term. From his studio in Punta del Este, he develops spaces that dialogue with architecture, the setting and the passage of time.
Landscaping as design that evolves
Máximo Vercelli is a landscape designer with more than three decades working in landscape design. Argentine by birth, he has lived in Punta del Este since 2006, where he has his studio in La Barra , Maldonado. There he develops projects of different scales, combining architecture, nature and an artistic eye that runs through all his work.
“I come from the world of design…”, explains Máximo. “I always make clear that I am a landscape designer from the design side, not from gardening or botany. What drew me to landscaping was thinking about spaces that transform over time.”.
From the beginning he understood landscaping as a living process. “Many years ago I began using a phrase that identifies me: design that grows. Designing a landscape means planning with an eye to how it will look in five, ten or fifteen years.”
Scale, time and biology
For Vercelli, managing scale is central. The growth of each species, the relationship between trees and shrubs, the color palette across the seasons and coexistence with the architecture are all part of the design.
“Landscaping works with biology. Plants grow, develop, change. That is why you have to know each species very well and respect its timing.”
That approach has let him revisit his own work over the years. “I have gardens and parks that are more than twenty years old. Visiting them again lets me see what worked and what did not, and understand what I would have done differently.”
center top no-repeat
zigzag
#CC0000
For me, landscaping is the most complete form of composition. It is at the end of the work that I find the greatest difference, because the design changes not only through the year with the different seasons, but also over time, with the development and growth of the planted species. It is definitely a design that grows.
Punta del Este, the right place
Before settling permanently in Uruguay, Vercelli lived in the northern area of Buenos Aires. From 2004, projects began to appear in Punta del Este and for a time he traveled constantly until he decided to settle for good.
The context was key. “There was a lot of construction, a lot of architecture, but few landscape designers. I feel I arrived at the right moment.” In Punta del Este he found large-scale projects and international clients who value landscaping on the same level as architecture.
A craft that gained prominence
Recognition of landscaping has not always been the same. “25 years ago the concept of landscaping practically did not exist as a discipline. There were no degree programs in either Argentina or Uruguay.”
Today, the situation is different. “Landscaping stopped being seen as an expense and came to be understood as an investment that gains value over time”. As he explains, more and more projects bring in the landscape designer from the start.
“They used to call me when the building was almost finished, at the worst moment. Today many clients bring me in from the project stage, even before building.”
center top no-repeat
Exterior view of Máximo Vercelli’s studio, on La Meditación street, in La Barra.
Landscapes designed by Máximo Vercelli
center top no-repeat
3825,3824,3828,3822,3826,3823
Designing experiences, not just gardens
In his projects, Vercelli seeks to create spaces that invite people to step outside the house. “My goal is to create gathering corners: reading spots, fire pits, vegetable gardens, spaces where outdoor life is lived.”
Water plays a central role in many of his works. “In Punta del Este the plots have slopes that make it possible to work with ponds. Water creates unique situations: views, reflections and places to gather.”
He also integrates kitchen garden plots, where vegetables, cut flowers and social spaces coexist. “The project does not end on the plan. I always leave room to adjust and discover details on site.”
A long-standing vocation
Besides landscaping, Vercelli works with collage, painting and music. “Art is something you can do until the last day of your life. I see myself designing parks at any age.”
On his experience in Uruguay, he highlights the human quality and the scale of work. “There is a different calm, a different way of relating. That is reflected directly in the projects.”
To learn more about his outlook, his projects and his way of understanding landscaping as design that evolves over time, you can visit Máximo Vercelli’s website and discover the path of a career marked by experience, sensitivity and respect for the environment.
Landscaping photographs: Courtesy of Máximo Vercelli.
Lots for sale – Barrio Pueblo Mío #Arbolados
https://modopunta.com/terrenos-en-venta-en-pueblo-mio-manantiales-oportunidad-exclusiva/
Lots for sale Barrio Pueblo Mío
Keep exploring #ModoPunta
A visual tour of Punta del Este that combines photography and audiovisual material to show
each area as it really is, designed for those looking to buy or invest with clear, reliable information.
center top no-repeat
grid
date
DESC
real-estate
https://vuelavuela.tv/servicios
Give a Gift Voucher Give a Gift Voucher
