NORLHA
Landscaping on the Western Chinese Plateau​
PROJECT INTRO
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In the twilight of 2023, Dechen Yeshi of Norlha, contacted me about assisting with landscaping ideas for their ‘compound’ in Zuogaidumo town in Gansu province*, a relatively remote area in Western China. I knew Dechen through her sister Sonam Yeshi, from our days studying at Parsons.
Dechen and her mother Kim Yeshi founded Norlha in 2007 and it was the Tibetan Plateau’s first Yak Khullu atelier - Khullu is a dense undercoat that grows around the neck and belly of yaks. Yaks shed their khullu in late spring after it protects them from the cold Tibetan Plateau winters. The Khullu is known for its comfort and durability and is noted to be warmer than cashmere.
Their products are handcrafted by former nomads who have spun, woven and felted for generation.
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As Norlha’s compound was expanding, Dechen was hoping to develop the landscaping of the new structures as well as tie in areas amongst the existing building, and was looking for something ‘soft’ and ‘natural’ that would compliment the surrounding landscape. The spaces would be used by the weavers and felters as areas of rest during daily breaks, and for guests from the guesthouse and new ‘annex’, which will host artist residencies, as well as the employee cafeteria.
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Michael Madden - a registered Landscape Architect and professor at Farmingdale State College, and I, worked on several concepts and proposals before heading to Gansu in the summer of 2023 to assist in construction, planting and further design.
*Gansu is known for being a strategic outpost and communications link for the Chinese empire. It’s also home to the Hexi Corridor, which was part of the Northern Silk Road.
MAIN BUILDING
PLAN // DESIGN
From left to right: Original 'compound' grounds, image taken during winter. Middle images: Original entrance and new entrance under construction. Right image: Intersecting pathways and newly planted vegetation area.
Rollover showing proposed and original conditions. The original layout of the site of the ‘main’ compound, had a more formal, processional layout. In the Front Courtyard, the entrances to the main office (right) and carpet weaving studio + offices (left), had shifted over time: originally the entrances intersected with the paths but to address oncoming cold winds, the entrances were ‘blocked out’, and people would enter from the sides of the ‘blocks’. We shifted the paths to reflect this change, and softened the edges of the rectangular patches to match the proposed typology of the front .
The Upper Terrace and Rear Courtyard received similar treatments, adding seating areas that can be used by the weavers and filters during breaks.
For the Front Entrance we added areas of vegetation and places to gather and sit, moving the parking to the right side of the street and visually tying in this area to the front.
The Felter’s Patio (upper, outer right area), was mainly undeveloped, but was used by the felters and weavers as a break-area, where they would sit in the warm sun during colder months. We added a retaining wall that doubled as seating, as well as adding flat boulders that could also be sat on.​
FELTER'S PATIO
Planting section includes native species such as Stellera chamaejasme.
Flat, large boulders for seating.
Retaining wall that serves as seating. Native bushes and grasses planted in background.
In memory of little Gawa the dog, Tsampa-the-cat’s trusty ‘brother’, both who sweetly followed Dechen like a shadow!
Felter’s patio under construction (near completion).
FRONT ENTRANCE
‘Natural’ planted area with native plants and rocks.
The Himalayan marmot (Marmota himalayana) is a marmot species that inhabits alpine grasslands throughout the Himalayas and on the Plateau.
Paths intersect with main entrance.
Below: Front sections (see second plan).
PLANTING SCHEME
The terrain and weather are harsh, and vegetation sparse as typical of high elevation landscapes. In addition, goats freely roam the area and cause havoc on vegetation - although there is an attempt to mitigate this through fencing.
Our planting-scheme reflected this, consisting primarily of hardy, native vegetation including Potentilla fruticosa, Juniperus tibetica, Picea likiangensis, Betula albosinensis and Salix caprea. Herbaceous lower-growing plants comprised of grasses such as Barley (Hordeum vulgare) - a staple food crop commonly cultivated in the region - as well as beautiful Stellera chamaejasme which frequently dots the sparse landscapes in the summer. Boulders and stone pavers were used as landscaping features, to again mimic the tumbling rocks of the sides of hills.
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GUESTHOUSE
PLAN // DESIGN
The plan layout of the proposed landscape for the guesthouse, which we designed and installed onsite. We left the courtyard entrance open to accommodate potential removable tables and chairs for summer dining for the new restaurant; circulation was re-thought as we shifted the entrance to the buildings from the back, to the front by adding a new set of front steps; screening was added two ways to maintain privacy for the first two bottom rooms of the guesthouse by including semi removable screening options as well as a planted edge / wall. For the main front landscaped area, we added an elevated area to connect the front area of the restaurant to the landscape. This area also serves as a place to sit and look out, without interfering with the view for those inside the restaurant; a fire-pit and curved seating area was added that also serves as an outdoor bar, and lastly, tumbling boulders create a stepped path up the hill where visitors can ramble about.
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WOVEN ELEMENTS
Elements of weaving, echoing the activities of the workshops, were also integrated into concepts in an attempt to ‘interweave’ interior and exterior spaces.
Image: Lined up metal heddles, followed by a weaver at her loom (this page).
A heddle (or heald) is a key component of a loom. It helps separate the warp threads, allowing the weft to pass through. Typically made of cord or wire, each heddle is attached to a shaft on the loom. The heddle features an eye in the center through which the warp threads are threaded. Since there is one heddle for each warp thread, a loom may use hundreds or even thousands of heddles, especially for fine or wide warps. For example, a handwoven tea towel usually has between 300 and 400 warp threads, requiring an equal number of heddles. (Wikipedia).
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