Vishu Magee

Vishu Magee has designed houses and community buildings in Taos and Santa Fe for nearly forty years and is recognized as one of the leading architectural designers in the area.

A graduate of Groton and Stanford, Vishu travelled to India in 1971 in search of deeper answers than were then available in academia and in the culture at large. Many months in ashrams, in meditation retreats, and in temples and ancient holy places left enduring imprints which have since informed Archetype Design. Returning to the U.S., Vishu settled in Taos to apply himself to the process of learning to be kind and helpful in the context of family, community, and the marketplace.

Taos has long been a source of inspiration to artists and seekers of all kinds. The presence of Taos Pueblo and its sacred mountain, as well as the overwhelming beauty (and fragility) of the surrounding landscape have been strong influences on the author/designer. Often called the “solar capital of the world,” Taos is also home to many pioneers of alternative building systems and appropriate technology. Against this backdrop, Vishu learned his craft by working first as a carpenter, then as a contractor, and since 1988 strictly as a designer.

However by 1996 Vishu found himself in a period of stagnation which ended only after several years of intense effort and a dramatic creative journey. The result was the book Archetype Design, which explores how homes can reflect our deepest gifts and aspirations. The years since 1999 have been all about taking that admittedly rarified vision and grounding it in ways that are straightforward, practical and accessible to anyone. The column “Style With Substance” in Su Casa Magazine and the current “Building Green” column in The Taos News “Enchanted Homes” magazine presents this ever-evolving understanding.

Married (to flutist Nancy Laupheimer), a father of three and a grandfather of three, Vishu continues to live and work in Taos. His many interests include music, travel, gardening, and wilderness trips. He is active in the community and is the founder and chairman of NonviolenceWorks (formerly Men Engaged in Nonviolence), for which he received the Taos News Unsung Hero award in 2006 and the Citizen of the Year award in 2010.