Happy World Environmental Health Day from the Moriyama & Teshima Architects team! The health and wellbeing of our planet has always been at the forefront of our work. Our core values of generative, generous, and regenerative design means that we leave a site in a better condition than when we found it.

One of Raymond Moriyama’s first built projects (completed 1958), Halfway House, is the epitome of these founding principles. Pictured here, the small structure served as a rest area at the mid-point of the George Crothers’ golf course. The client’s request was for a man-made landscape that was functional, while offering an enjoyable view of the surrounding area from his residence. Located at the top of a man-made 12-foot hill, Halfway House was designed to fill a space left by nature on the land and against the sky.

Constructed like a piece of fine cabinetry, Halfway House incorporates a variety of woods and natural finishes. Columns were composed of spruce, roof and floor beams were glue-laminated fir, and the ceiling and entrance deck, as well as the furniture were red cedar.  The roof detail was articulated with 3/8-inch stressed skin plywood construction, with a sprayed white vinyl finish to catch the light of the setting sun.