Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Glimpse & Gander: Lan Su Chinese Gardens


My last trip to Portland's Lan Su Gardens doubled as a Mothers Day outing and project research.  I am proud to be designing a new master suite for my mom, and finally giving serious payback for all her support during my time in architecture school.  The project is close to my heart as she still lives in my childhood home outside of Portland.  Though we would have loved to fly to China for inspiration, the Lan Su Gardens were designed and built to closely replicate structures and landscaping found in Suzhou, China (Portland's sister city) so it made for the perfect local substitute.


My mom has a sincere connection with Chinese motifs and design principles, so we knew this was the right place to start.  We studied patterns, the connections between space and view, and prominent materials.  Using this information, I've adapted a design that fits within the context of her Northwest home, the budget, existing furnishings, and practical use.  Cascade Contracting is helping see this project to reality, so when we're all finished I'll be sure to post the finished product.

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