Building a Work of Art
Writer: valerie coulman
Photography: danny dinsmore
Any vision for a new home takes hard work, and for Nisha Jackson and Michael Woods in Medford, a personal build project became proof of both the teamwork necessary to put a dream into action, and the community that exists in the process.
Jackson, best known for her role in Health Care and Functional Medicine as founder of the OnePeak Medical network in Oregon, has been involved in hundreds of build and interior design projects over the last 30 years, as she shaped medical offices and personal spaces to provide welcoming and beautiful spaces. Woods, too, as owner and founder of Michael C. Woods Construction, has years of experience in building projects around the U.S. and around the world.
Meeting the prior year while in Costa Rica, Woods’ and Jackson’s blend of talent and strengths complimented each other well as their stories came together. Creating medical spaces for Jackson in Oregon, Woods was familiar with Jackson’s desire for peaceful inviting spaces, and when they eventually decided to build a unique space, they knew that background would benefit them. “It was proof that we worked well together,” recalls Jackson.
They began looking at home sites, and while visiting a possible location heard about a nearby site that had previously sold but was again available. “We walked down the field,” recalls Woods, “and said, ‘This is the one.’” Together, they walked the site and climbed up ladders and watched how the sun moved and then started drawing out their ideas. “We basically sketched it out in forty-eight hours,” says Woods. “It flowed so well.”
Their vision was impressive in scope, including a two-story house with multiple kitchens both indoors and out, deluxe master suite, entertainment spaces, walk-in wine cellar and tasting room, guest quarters, a forty-two-foot-tall glass arboretum, a two-story artisan studio, putting green, cabana kitchen and lounging room, pool, jacuzzi, Swedish sauna, steam room, a small orchard, and a large terrace for entertaining.
The plan always kept daily paths well in mind. “We began everything, really, from the garage door,” says Jackson, “where someone would walk in the house and put down the groceries in the butler’s pantry and have easy access to the master bedroom and laundry room.” They also included areas dedicated to wholistic health and wellness, and for entertaining and relationship. The key goals as they worked, says Jackson, were sustainability, self-sufficiency, and a sense of bringing the outdoors into a space of harmony and community.
That forty-eight-hour vision became three years of reality, as they began on the massive number of design details, environmental studies, and site preparation plans. “We probably hold a record for retainment systems,” Jackson says, laughing, of those early months in the project. But their partnership worked. “Whatever I couldn’t do, he did. We literally tag-teamed the whole thing.” The end result has received not only their own personal stamp of approval, but national attention, including build magazine features and a national award for their retainment system.
Teams became critical to the project, as the scope of the project meant bringing in multiple subs and specialists to keep the project moving forward. “This was not your normal build,” says Woods. It was a COVID-conscious world, and the scope of the project meant hiccups in both labor and materials. “I’ve worked for decades, and I have never seen anything like it. There were always challenges to overcome.”
But they both credit the subcontractors that came in like Randy Gleysteen from Gleysteen Design Build LLC who drafted the house plans, and the city engineers, inspectors, and other professionals they worked with. “Everyone was coming in ready to work,” says Woods, as even teams that might be expected to be competitors worked alongside each other.
“This was such a complicated project for everyone,” they both agree. As they worked to optimize every view and every energy-efficient angle available to them, Woods recalls, “There was a lot of field engineering that had to be redone and reapproved.”
The result is a beautiful balance of nature and supported engineering. Gas-charged floor-to-ceiling windows lead to expansive views throughout. The arboretum can double as a training space for groups such as Jackson’s health care team. “What better place to learn than in a room filled with oxygen?” she says, and the parking spaces allow room for food trucks for larger parties or work gatherings. As the planted orchard and garden spaces grow, the property’s own food can be resourced as well.
It all makes use of split energy systems, including solar panels, wells, and energy-efficient systems supported by local utilities. “Super clean and super-efficient, that was our goal,” says Jackson. From the basically maintenance-free exterior to incorporating feng shui principles connected to the movement of the sun, the house and grounds make the most of incorporating their surroundings into a natural rhythm that reflects their lives inside and out. “It’s amazing how well it works when it’s done right,” says Jackson.
Inside, the home’s neutral design base involves an elegant mix of tile and textures that creates a stunning backdrop for many collected and colorful pieces—handcrafted items and furniture, personal history pieces, collections from around the world, personal photos, individualized room décor for family members or interests, and throughout, a sense of unity of purpose and personality. “Each room stands on its own,” says Jackson. “Each one has its own meaning and its own style.” And the views from each space change by the moment as they look over the valley spread out around them. “It will be hard to get work done here,” Woods admits from the office overlooking the valley, “but what a place to work!”
It’s a place of story, and serenity, and space, just as they originally intended. “The goal was to build a home that was sort of a sacred spot,” she says as she looks at the final results. “It’s a very unique property. I wouldn’t change one thing.”
But then she laughs. “I want to be cured of the need to build houses. I need to start crocheting.”

For more information, visit:
www.NishaJackson.com
