Living Light

By Chip Newell.

Whenever advising friends contemplating a move, I suggest early efforts should focus on what is really important in a living environment.  Virtually all housing decisions involve trade-offs, and understanding what is truly key to being happy in a space is a necessary prerequisite. 

I have lived in many homes, at one point moving six times in eight years.  And I have been known as “The Developer Who Lives in His Own Building” since moving into the first condominium I developed in Denver in 1982.  I lived in both of NewHeight Group’s first Portland projects, 118 on Munjoy Hill and Luminato, and I will be moving into our latest building, Verdante, when it is completed later this year.  But nothing has advanced my personal education regarding what is important to me in a living space like the last six months.

Three days before I sold my Luminato condo at the end of September my winter house-sitting opportunity fell apart, and I found myself “between homes.”  Since then I have enjoyed the hospitality of friends’ guest rooms, house-sat for friends who left on an adventure in their new campervan and stayed in numerous short-term rentals, including six over the ski season in Park City, Utah. 

Windows in the corner of a 118 on Munjoy Hill condo.

I have been in places large and small; new and old; one level and many.  All were just fine, and I truly appreciated having a roof over my head (and a place to park my car, which became my closet on wheels).  But I soon came to realize that none of those characteristics were determinative of my happiness in a space – it all came down to windows and the light and views they bring indoors.

And I now recognize I have been spoiled.  NewHeight Group projects have really, really large windows, made possible in an energy efficient way because they are triple glazed and have Euro-style tilt turn hardware.  All I have to do is open the window to allow the noises of the city enter, then close it and experience the feeling of practically complete silence to realize the difference that window quality makes.

But back to what is important to me.  When in a NHG building I am constantly experiencing the out of doors through one or more walls made almost entirely of glass.  I can leave the lights off on the cloudiest of days, and read and work without concern.  I am constantly aware of the state of the weather, watching the sun move across the sky; clouds come and go; the moon as it rises and sets.

When I have stayed in typical residences with regularly spaced, normally sized windows I feel cut off from nature, from what nurtures me.  Yes, I am spoiled, and feel fortunate to have had the experiences that have led me to what is important in a home.  I was recently self-quarantined in NHG’s Luminato office, a 700 square foot platform bedroom unit, and I am happier than I was in my largest, newest, most luxurious rental.  Ten-foot ceilings and a wall of windows expand the space to include the entire city roofscape and the greenery of Lincoln Park, allowing me to live large in a compact manner.

If you want to see what it is like to “Live NewHeight Light” please be in touch; we will be glad to show you our past projects and introduce you to the exciting floorplans available at Verdante, scheduled for completion late this year.

A rendering of Verdante Unit 308, facing south toward Lincoln Park