The Fold, by Ori

Naquasia is a vegan chef on a mission to help people live healthy lives with delicious and nutritious food. But sharing her love of wellness and cooking by hosting others isn’t so easy in a conventional studio apartment. Fortunately, the Campus West apartment building where she lives features Ori Expandable Studios in nearly every unit.

“I just had a little brunch get together in here, and there were about five of us,” she says. “I cooked in the kitchen and we ate and just enjoyed the space.”

That’s because her unit features Ori’s Cloud Bed, which provides her the space she needs, when she needs it.

Living in an Ori Expandable Studio means that Naquasia has room to live the way she’d like to live. Everywhere you look in her home there are plants and food in all stages of growth and preparation—small herb sprouts basking in the sun, jars full of homemade kombucha fermenting, fruits and vegetables of every color, shape and size. With all that space dedicated to growing and cooking, Naquasia needed more space for living and relaxing.

So, just beyond the kitchen, through a set of double sliding doors, is the answer: Ori’s Cloud Bed and Naquasia’s expandable living room/bedroom area. When the Cloud Bed is up, it gives her space for yoga, watching TV, working on her laptop, and gathering with friends. When it’s time to rest, Naquasia can bring the bed down at the press of a button and transform the space into a peaceful bedroom. Even the process of bringing the bed down has become a part of her winding down routine at night.

“It’s that sound it makes, you know the sound?” she says with a smile. “It’s part of a mood, it just puts me in the mindset of winding down for bed.”

The building where Naquasia lives, in a quaint and cozy neighborhood just outside Downtown Buffalo, boasts some impressive sustainability features, including solar powered utilities and easy access to public transportation – yet it’s also more affordable than most new apartment buildings. It’s these features that first attracted Naquasia to the building when she was on the hunt for a new apartment.

“The building is brand new and completely sustainable. When I saw it, I just fell in love,” she says. “It’s really a reflection of my personality in a building.”

That personality is evident the moment you meet Naquasia. And because of her Ori Expandable Studio, she can share that personality, and her amazing culinary creations, with others.

Looking to find some plant-based recipes to try at home? You can find Naquasia on YouTube and Instagram at Studio Vegan. You may just find a new favorite (and healthy) dish, or be inspired to find your own Ori Expandable Urban Home.