A Look Back at Our Team Adventures
At MADERA, we are a team of experts from the design, construction, and manufacturing industries. But more than that, we are a group of passionate, artists, explorers, academics, farmers, philosophers, laborers, and craftspeople. We have stories to tell, roads to travel, wood to work and the outside to bring in. This year brought our diverse team literally around the world. From cross-country skiing in Norway to architectural research in Austria, we were awed by the raw beauty of nature as well as the powerful impact of beautiful design. We want to share a few of the highlights from our year of travel. This compilation is filled with places and spaces that are dear to our hearts and inspire the work we do. We hope you also find time for adventure, creativity, and inspiration in the coming year. Cheers!
James | Jersey Channel Islands, UK
My family and I went to London and Jersey Channel Islands over the summer. Two of my cousins were getting married and it was a chance for all the kids to meet and get to know each other.
Lauren | Highway 1, CA
Driving North on the 1 for the first time as a new Cali resident was the experience of a lifetime. Excited to continue to explore this beautiful state and coast.
Jennifer | Miami, FL
Miami has ocean water similar to that of the Caribbean Islands; crystal clear. It’s a quick flight from NYC where the palm trees flourish and the sun is always shining.
Manda | Johns Island, SC
The Angel Oak Tree is estimated to be about 400 years old. She is breathtakingly beautiful and timeless. It was a sight to see and it’s one of the most memorable places I have ever visited.
Vince | Isla Mujeres, MX
Snorkeling off Isla Mujeres (Women's Island) in Cancun, MX gave my daughter memories to last a lifetime. The underwater museum, created to save nearby coral reefs, has a total of 500 life-sized sculptures submerged between 9 and 20 feet deep in the ocean. It is absolutely breathtaking!
Kristin | Bregenz, Austria
My dissertation in Architectural History + Theory investigates Swiss Architect Peter Zumthor’s synesthetic design process. In addition to visiting the archives at the Kunsthaus Bregenz (1997) in Austria, I also traveled to Switzerland to document the Shelter for Roman Ruins (1986), the Leis Houses (2009), and the Therme Vals (1996).
Cassie | Roden Crater, Arizona
On a grad school trip, I visited land art all over the Southwestern United States. The highlight of the trip ended at James Turrell’s Roden Crater, which is just outside of Flagstaff, Arizona. Although you cannot take photos of the space itself, you can take photos of the crater and surrounding landscape, which was breathtaking. The way that Turrell methodically places openings allows one to observe light, time, and space in a unique way. It was an experience that will always stay with me.
Daniella | Snowbird, Utah
Escaping to my local resort, Snowbird, has been my peaceful getaway. Some days I have the mountain all to myself. It is one of the best mountains I’ve ever skied on, what a dream to be 10 minutes from here!
Aden | Bokeelia, Florida
I was treated very kindly by the people on the Island and enjoyed recording music with old, famous, blues musicians.
Mikael | Tromsø, Norway
Mikael and his friends traveled on a three-day ski touring trip that covered nearly 40 miles of beautiful and rugged mountain landscapes in both Norway and Sweden. They began in Tromsø and then headed East towards Treriksrøysa, where Norway, Sweden, and Finland meet. At night temperatures dropped down to nearly 0 degrees Fahrenheit! What an incredible place to clear your mind and get a fresh perspective on life.
Damiano | Niagara Falls
Glamour often eclipses the unseen. On the bank of the Niagara River, just south of Niagara Falls is a landscape plush with life despite the aggressive rush of the water below. Only accessible through a tunnel 180 ft below the surface, this hidden scene is a glimpse of industrialization frozen in time. Fragments of rocks torn away from the face of the Horseshoe Falls litter the foreground as hearty greenery finds its home above.
Daniel | Upstate, NY
Catching big Bronze Backs on a lake in Upstate New York. I could stay here for days on end.
Daniel | Belgium and Germany
Our decades-long search for the highest quality in lumber and milling has led us to some of the most knowledgable, talented, and sustainably-minded craftspeople in the world. In October, we visited our partners in Belgium and Germany to develop new products, brainstorm innovative ways to shake up our industry, and of course, indulge a bit in Octoberfest activities.
“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”
— Henry Miller