Tribal Housing

Sensitive planning and design will raise the standard of living on sacred Native American lands. This project, for the Moapa Band of Paiutes, aims to develop the top of the mesa into an extension of the community and include approximately 100 homes with roads and utilities connecting them. By situating the majority of the one- to four-bedroom homes at the edge of the mesa, an inner and outer face of the development is created. The outside face looks out over the edge of the mesa while the inner face looks back at the community in the form of the common roads and driveways. This shared space will include various community resources and structures accessible to all members of the tribe. Circulation throughout the property is encouraged via walking paths and trails both within the bounds of central area as well as around the outside of the development, providing various distances for hikers and walkers to traverse. Landscaping will feature native plantings, which will minimize water use and maintenance, as well as fit within the arid nature of this high-desert mesa. Because of the tribe’s connection to nature and stewardship of the land, many sustainability-focused ideas, techniques and systems will be incorporated into the development.