Sponsor Spotlight: Maison Orion

MAISON ORION is a multifaceted design studio based in Los Angeles, California. While primarily engaged in the design of buildings, our focus is rather on questions of life and what qualities make for a graceful and uplifting habitat for human beings. We are also concerned about preserving the environment and working to maintain animal habitats in our projects. April is a National Landscape Architecture Month, a 30 day celebration of the designed spaces outside of buildings. As an affiliate member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, Scott M B Gustafson, principal of MAISON ORION, recognizes the importance of the landscape architecture’s contributions to healthy communities, wildlife habitat restoration, pollution control, energy efficient buildings and beautiful spaces. For this spotlight, we would like to highlight the way our projects engage the natural world and protect existing habitats.

The LR residence is a vacation home for a middle-aged couple planning to eventually retire and live in the home permanently. The design features an open layout connecting the interior rooms visually to the surrounding forest. The home is raised above ground to reduce the impact upon existing drainage patterns across the site while increasing available views from all living spaces; the occupants will effectively live among thee trees. The building is sited to maximize privacy and to avoid demolition of the major oak trees existent on the property.

The Nyaya Health Telemedicine clinic was design for a remote village in Western Nepal. While primarily focused on addressing the medical needs of the women of the village, the project includes several features to help improve community involvement in a region that is distrustful of Western medical practices. A stream runs along the eastern edge of the site. Water from the stream is diverted to irrigate two large demonstration gardens, one growing healthy fruits and vegetables and the other cultivating medicinal herbs used in local religious ceremonies. Including this second garden helps cross the culture gap and build trust with the community. On the southern edge of the plaza, a grove of bamboo sprouts up alongside a retaining wall. The bamboo grows in a bio-swale, a living filtration system which cleans organic pollutants from the water. The gardens and the swale provide teachable lessons for healthy living to the people who visit the clinic site.

The Cloud Horse Art Institute is a non-profit educational program on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Its mission is to instruct students in traditional Lakota arts and crafts, food production, and the Lakota language alongside Western arts like dance, painting, sculpture and drama. As a traditionally nomadic people, the first “classroom” of Lakota children was the natural world itself and their language reflects a unique understanding of the territory. The rolling hills, prairie flats and flowing rivers at the site are all embraced as extensions of the building. The first building to be built contains an art gallery, a black box theater, a library, two classrooms and two art studios. Large operable windows bring in fresh air and ample daylight. The central courtyard will be a showcase of colorful prairie flowers and create a calm space that is protected from the strong north winds....Cole and I are off to enjoy the beautiful evening with a picnic, which will mean a new post tomorrow!!

Yours,