Meditation Center

8/16/2019 Meditation Center

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MEDITATIO

N CENTER

Submitted by:

Edrienne John I. Roxas


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Prehistory

Further information: cultural universal and prehistoric religion

Prehistoric religion involved repetitive, rhythmic chants which today are commonlycalled mantras

Antiquity

Further information: Axial Age

Buddha sitting in Lotus positionwith hand mudras, 3rd century

!ome of the earliest written records of meditation "#hyana$, come from the %indu traditions

of &edantism around '()) B*+ he &edasdiscuss the meditative traditions of ancient

-ndia Around the .th to (th centuries B*+, other forms of meditation developed in aoist *hina

and Buddhist -ndia #hyana in early Buddhism also ta/es influence on &edanta 0y ca the 1th

century B*+

he exact origins of Buddhist meditation are su02ect to de0ate among scholars +arly written

records of the multiple levels and states of meditation in Buddhism in -ndia are found in

the sutras of the Pli *anon, which dates to 'st century B*+ he Pali *anon records the 0asic

fourfold formula of salvation via the o0servance of the rules of morality, contemplativeconcentration, /nowledge and li0eration, thus placing meditation as a step along the path of

salvation By the time Buddhism was spreading in *hina, the &imala/irti !utra which dates to

'))*+ included a num0er of passages on meditation and enlightened wisdom, clearly pointing

to 4en

-n the west, 0y 5) B*+ Philo of Alexandria had written on some form of 6spiritual exercises6

involving attention "prosoche$ and concentration and 0y the 3rd century Plotinus had developed

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meditative techniques, which however did not attract a following among *hristian

meditators !aint Augustine experimented with the methods of Plotinus and failed to achieve

ecstasy

he !il/ 7oad transmission of Buddhism introduced meditation to other oriental

countries Bodhidharma is traditionally considered the transmitter of the concept of 4en to *hina

%owever, the first 6original school6 in +ast Asia was founded 0y his contemporary 4hiyi in the

.th century in central *hina 4hiyi managed to systematically organi8e the various teachings that

had 0een imported from -ndia in a way that their relationship with each other made

sense 9onhyo and isang promoted ;orean Buddhism in the a term understood 0y all commentators as some type of meditative practice

"?enesis 51:.3$ here are indications throughout the ana/h "the %e0rew Bi0le$ that =udaism

always contained a central meditative tradition

@iddle Ages

9ith the growth of =apanese Buddhism from the th century onwards, meditative practices were

0rought to and further developed in =apan he =apanese mon/ #osho learned of 4en during his

visit to *hina in .(3 and upon his return opened the first meditation hall in =apan,

at ara @editative practices continued to arrive in =apan from *hina, and were su02ected to

modification 9hen #Cgen returned to =apan from *hina around '55


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of meditation involved ;a00alistic practices, and some involved approaches of =ewish

philosophy

!ufi view or -slamic mysticism involves meditative practices 7emem0rance of ?od in -slam,

which is /nown 0y the concept #hi/r is interpreted in different meditative techniques

in !ufism or -slamic mysticism his 0ecame one of the essential elements of !ufism as it was

systemati8ed in the ''th and '5th centuries -t is 2uxtaposed with fi/r "thin/ing$ which leads to

/nowledge By the '5th century, the practice of !ufism included specific meditative techniques,

and its followers practiced 0reathing controls and the repetition of holy words

+astern *hristian meditation can involve the repetition of a phrase in a specific physical posture,

and can 0e traced 0ac/ to the By8antine period Between the ')th and '1th

centuries, hesychasm was developed, particularly on @ount Athos in ?reece, and continues to the

present -t involves the repetition of the =esus prayer D'E -t is possi0le that there were interactions

0etween %esychasts and the -ndians or the !ufis, 0ut this can not 0e proved

9estern *hristian meditation contrasts with most other approaches in that it does not involve the

repetition of any phrase or action and requires no specific posture 9estern *hristian

meditation progressed from the .th century practice of Bi0le reading among Benedictine mon/s

called Lectio #ivina, ie divine reading -ts four formal steps as a 6ladder6 were defined 0y the

mon/ ?uigo -- in the '5th century with the Latin terms lectio,meditatio, oratio,

and contemplatio "ie read, ponder, pray, contemplate$ 9estern *hristian meditation was further

developed 0y saints such as -gnatius of Loyola and eresa of Avila in the '.th century

@odern history

By the 'th century, the study of Buddhism in the 9est was a topic for intellectuals he

philosopher !chopenhauer discussed it, and &oltaire as/ed for toleration towards Buddhists he

first +nglish translation of the i0etan Boo/ of the #ead was pu0lished in '5improvement Both spiritual and secular forms of meditation have 0een

su02ects of scientific analyses %owever, after .) years of scientific study, the exact mechanism at

wor/ in meditation remains unclear

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Meditation

his article is a0out the induction of specific modes or states of consciousness For other uses,

see @editation "disam0iguation$

A statue of the Buddha meditating, Borim emple, ;orea

@editation is a practice in which an individual trains the mind or induces a mode of

consciousness, either to reali8e some 0enefit or for the mind to simply ac/nowledge its content

without 0ecoming identified with that content, or as an end in itself

he term meditation refers to a 0road variety of practices that includes techniques designed to

promote relaxation, 0uild internal energy or life force "qi, /i, prana, etc$ and develop

compassion love, patience, generosity and forgiveness A particularly am0itious form of

meditation aims at effortlessly sustained single>pointed concentration meant to ena0le its

practitioner to en2oy an indestructi0le sense of well>0eing while engaging in any life activity

he word meditation carries different meanings in different contexts @editation has 0een

practiced since antiquity as a component of numerous religious traditions and 0eliefs @editation

often involves an internal effort to self>regulate the mind in some way @editation is often used to

clear the mind and ease many health concerns, such as high 0lood pressure,E depression,

and anxiety -t may 0e donesitting, or in an active wayIfor instance, Buddhist mon/s involve

awareness in their day>to>day activities as a form of mind>trainingPrayer 0eads or other ritual

o02ects are commonly used during meditation in order to /eep trac/ of or remind the practitioner

a0out some aspect of the training

@editation may involve generating an emotional state for the purpose of analy8ing that stateI such as anger, hatred, etcIor cultivating a particular mental response to various phenomena,

such as compassion he term 6meditation6 can refer to the state itself, as well as to practices or

techniques employed to cultivate the state @editation may also involve repeating a mantra and

closing the eyes he mantra is chosen 0ased on its suita0ility to the individual meditator

@editation has a calming effect and directs awareness inward until pure awareness is achieved,

descri0ed as 60eing awa/e inside without 0eing aware of anything except awareness itself6 -n

0rief, there are do8ens of specific styles of meditation practice, and many different types of

activity commonly referred to as meditative practices

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Etymoloy

he +nglish meditation is derived from the Latin meditatio, from a ver0 meditari, meaning 6to

thin/, contemplate, devise, ponder6-n the Gld estament, hgJ "%e0rew: KK$ means to sigh or

murmur, and also, to meditate 9hen the %e0rew Bi0le was translated into ?ree/, hgJ 0ecamethe ?ree/melete he Latin Bi0le then translated hgJMmelete into meditatio he use of the

term meditatio as part of a formal, stepwise process of meditation goes 0ac/ to the '5th>century

mon/ ?uigo --

he i0etan word for meditation 6?om6 means 6to 0ecome familiar with6 and has the strong

implication of training the mind to 0e familiar with states that are 0eneficial: concentration,

compassion, correct understanding, patience, humility, perseverance, etc

Apart from its historical usage, the term meditation was introduced as a translation for +astern

spiritual practices, referred to as dhyna in Buddhism and in %induism, which comes from

the !ans/rit root dhyai, meaning to contemplate or meditate he term 6meditation6 in +nglishmay also refer to practices from -slamic !ufism, or other traditions such as =ewish ;a00alah and

*hristian %esychasm An edited 0oo/ a0out 6meditation6 pu0lished in 5))3, for example,

included chapter contri0utions 0y authors descri0ing %indu, Buddhist, aoist, =ewish, *hristian

and -slamic traditions !cholars have noted that 6the term NmeditationN as it has entered

contemporary usage6 is parallel to the term 6contemplation6 in *hristianity, 0ut in many cases,

practices similar to modern forms of meditation were simply called NprayerN *hristian, =udaic and

-slamic forms of meditation are typically devotional, scriptural or thematic, while Asian forms of

meditation are often more purely technical

History

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@ain article: %istory of meditation

@an @editating in a ?arden !etting

he history of meditation is intimately 0ound up with the religious context within which it was

practiced !ome authors have even suggested the hypothesis that the emergence of the capacity

for focused attention, an element of many methods of meditation, may have contri0uted to the

final phases of human 0iological evolution !ome of the earliest references to meditation are

found in the %indu &edas 9ilson translates the most famous &edic mantra N?ayatriN thus : 69e

meditate on that desira0le light of the divine !avitri, who influences our pious rites6 "7gveda :

@andala>3, !u/ta>.5, 7cha>')$ Around the .th to (th centuries B*+, other forms of meditation

developed in *onfucian, and aoist *hina and %indu, =ain and Buddhist -ndia

-n the west, 0y 5) B*+ Philo of Alexandria had written on some form of 6spiritual exercises6

involving attention "prosoche$ and concentration and 0y the 3rd century Plotinus had developed

meditative techniques

he Pli *anon, which dates to 'st century B*+ considers -ndian Buddhist meditation as a step

towards salvation By the time Buddhism was spreading in *hina, the &imala/irti !utra which

dates to ')) *+ included a num0er of passages on meditation, clearly pointing to 4en he !il/

7oad transmission of Buddhism introduced meditation to other Asian countries, and in .(3 the

first meditation hall was opened in !ingaporeE 7eturning from *hina around '55


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Buddhist mon/ @editating in a 9aterfall !etting

9estern *hristian meditation contrasts with most other approaches in that it does not involve the

repetition of any phrase or action and requires no specific posture 9estern *hristian

meditation progressed from the .th century practice of Bi0le reading amongBenedictine mon/s

called Lectio #ivina, ie divine reading -ts four formal steps as a 6ladder6 were defined 0y the

mon/ ?uigo -- in the '5th century with the Latin terms lectio, meditatio, oratio,

and contemplatio "ie read, ponder, pray, contemplate$ 9estern*hristian meditation was further

developed 0y saints such as -gnatius of Loyola and eresa of Avila in the '.th century

!ecular forms of meditation were introduced in -ndia in the '()s as a 9esterni8ed form of

%indu meditative techniques and arrived in the nited !tates and +urope in the '.)s 7ather

than focusing on spiritual growth, secular meditation emphasi8es stress reduction, relaxation and

self>improvement Both spiritual and secular forms of meditation have 0een su02ects of scientific

analyses 7esearch on meditation 0egan in '3', with scientific research increasing dramatically

during the '


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Gnce you can descri0e the theme of your meditation room, you will pro0a0ly find it easier to

ma/e decisions a0out all the other design elements to follow Hou will find yourself designing a

room that is cohesive in terms of its overall loo/ and feel, rather than a room that feels

disconnected or thrown together

%ere are 2ust a few examples of themes for your meditation room Please /eep in mind that theseare 2ust ideas to stimulate your own thoughts a0out how you might li/e your meditation room to

loo/ and feel

The Resort

7esort style meditation rooms are inspired 0y the idea of an exotic vacation 9ords that spring to

mind are OBalinese retreat or O#ay !pa hin/ of a relaxing place where you have 0een on

holiday and try to recreate the loo/ and feel of that place

Spartan/Minimalistic

@inimalistic rooms usually feature light, neutral colour tones and have a very stripped 0ac/ loo/

and feel a0out them Gnly the 0are essentials are catered for in a minimalistic room his type of

meditation room is all a0out simplicity, serenity and the total avoidance of visual clutter

The Rainbow

Lots and lots of vi0rant coloursQ For some people this /ind of theme can 0e overwhelming, 0ut

for others it is totally invigorating Hou can 0rea/ all the rules with a rain0ow themepaint

different walls different colours, add 0rightly coloured furnishings, display colourful pictures

he tric/ is not to stop halfway with a rain0ow theme ?o all>out and saturate your meditation

room with colour

The Cocoon

*ocoon>li/e meditation rooms are designed to 0e warm, inviting, enveloping and reclusive he

cocoon effect is 0est suited to smaller rooms as it is harder to accomplish in a large space #ar/ercolour tones com0ined with plenty of natural candle light wor/ very well to create a space that

cocoons you in warmth and peace

The Illuminator

Ruite the opposite to he *ocoon, the -lluminator feels open, spacious and is full of natural light

Bright colour tones com0ined with plenty of comforta0le furnishings and natural cloth com0ine

to create a very pure, luminous space

The Temple

he emple theme is inspired 0y temples, shrines and places of sacred worship -n most cases this

is a room that includes plenty of natural elements, li/e stone, wood carvings, incense and candlesA8tec, Asian or African culture may influence the design

Create Your Own ersonal Theme

9hat inspires youS 9hat places ma/e you feel at peaceS 9hen you thin/ of meditation,

spirituality or relaxation, what places or images come to mindS Let your imagination run free and

develop your own personal theme -f you are designing a meditation room for yourself, then your


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room theme does not have to meet anyoneTs criteria 0ut your own @a/e it special and uniquely

yours

Designing a Meditation Room: Colour Schemes

ow that you have a theme in mind for your meditation room, itTs time to 0egin selecting a colour

scheme 9hen designing a meditation room, there really are no specific rules when it comes to

colours, and in many cases your own personal taste will guide you to the colour tones that are

right for you, however there are a few important factors to consider

First of all, /eep in mind that colour can have a very direct effect on the way you feel Hou are

pro0a0ly already aware of this on an intuitive level, 0ut it might surprise you to /now that

scientific tests have actually proven that after 0eing exposed to specific colours, we experience

mental, emotional and even physical changes Hour 0lood pressure, 0ody temperature and

appetite can all 0e affected 0y colour, so choose colours that have a positive effect on your overall

sense of well0eing

=ust as/ yourself, O%ow do - want to feel in this roomS and then visuali8e colours that represent

those feelings for you Hou might li/e to start 0y writing down a list of feelings that descri0e how

you want to feel when you wal/ into your meditation room Hou might use words li/e serene,

0alanced, relaxed or invigorated, to name a few ow picture yourself surrounded 0y the

colour"s$ you have in mind and o0serve your response #oes the colour scheme in your mind

0ring a0out the right feelings for youS #oes it enhance the essence of who you areS #oes it fit in

with the room theme you have in mindS

Colours and Space erception

he colours you choose will have an effect on your perception of space in the room For example,

dar/er colours may feel very cosy, 0ut they can ma/e a room feel smaller Lighter colour on the

other hand will help to open a room up, 0ut may not have the warmth you are after

Colour Selection

@ost interior decorators will advise you to avoid the overuse of 0old colours, however if a certain

colour resonates positively with you, then do not hesitate to defy convention and use as much of

it as you li/e ot all traditional decorating advice applies when you are designing a meditation

room ;eep your desired room theme in mind and go with your instincts

-f in dou0t a0out colours for your meditation room, then order a sample of the paint you have in

mind and try it out on a wall or two

More tips on colour and paint:

%ave you ever heard of the .):3):') design ruleS his design rule is a suggested guide to the

proportions of colour that you should use in a room: .)U dominant colour, 3)U intermediate

colour, ')U accent colour ypically, the dominant colour covers most of the walls, the


12/43

intermediate colour might 0e used on one feature wall, and the accent colour might 0e used 2ust

around window frames or on doors @onochromatic rooms can 0e a little 0land, 0ut rooms with

too many colours can 0e visually distracting he .):3):') design rule is 2ust a handy hint for

creating a colour scheme that is nicely 0alanced

-f you are finding colour selection to 0e difficult, head down to your local paint shop @ost offerfree colour charts, free colour scheme suggestions and cheap, if not free sample paints @any

paint manufacturers also offer very helpful online guides which may include free colour selection

software and colour scheme advice

aint and !ir "ualit#

-f you are concerned a0out the purity of the air in your meditation room, please consider using

low>emission paints so as to minimi8e the presence of chemical fumes -n a process /nown as

Ooff>gassing, paints release small quantities of chemicals into the atmosphere for months or even

years after they have finished drying Low emission paints reduce this effect dramatically

-f you intend to use any high>gloss paints in your meditation room, ma/e sure you select a water>

0ased variety Gil>0ased high gloss paints loo/ great, 0ut they ta/e days to dry properly and they

can smell for wee/s afterwards

Designing a Meditation Room: $ighting

- have addressed the su02ect of lighting immediately after the su02ect of colour 0ecause colour

and light interplay with one another in a variety of ways, dramatically affecting the way we

perceive the space around us For example, a room that has 0een painted in warm colours maystill seem cold if the wrong type of lighting is used Li/ewise, a room may seem smaller or larger

depending on the way colour and light are com0ined A lac/ of lighting will ma/e colours seem

dar/er than they really are, and too much lighting may wash out the colours in your room

$ight Control

-f you are designing a meditation room, it is important that you have control over light levels !o

if your meditation room has windows, they will pro0a0ly need 0linds or curtains of some sort

"more on window furnishings a little later on$ Gverhead lights are 0est if they feature a dimming

function, which will allow you to have total control over the light levels in your room - also

recommend that you do not meditate in total dar/ness Personally, when - meditate - donTt li/e a

completely dar/ room, 0ut - donTt li/e it to 0e too 0right either, so - will dim down the overheadlights and light a candle or two !pea/ing of candles, this 0rings me to another point a0out light

$ight %ualit#

Light is often divided into two main categories V cool and warm "sometimes referred to as O0lue

or Oyellow in tint$ -n almost all cases warm lighting is the 0est choice for a meditation room -n

case you hadnTt guessed already, candles provide a very warm light indeed, and provide more

natural am0ience than almost any other light form you can imagine


13/43

-f you have the choice, avoid fluorescent lighting Fluorescent light is the coldest, 0luest and most

sterile type of light 9orse still, large fluorescent lighting fixtures are also famous for

Oflic/erthe light levels they produce may seem to oscillate ever so slightly, 0ut very rapidly

For some people this can cause irritation and even headaches

- am aware that in some countries, traditional light glo0es have 0een prohi0ited in an effort toreduce energy consumption, leaving fluorescent glo0es as the only availa0le alternative

Fortunately, most fluorescent glo0e manufacturers reali8e how unpopular the cold light of

fluorescence can 0e, and many of them now offer specially designed Owarm fluorescent glo0es

Both traditional filament light glo0es and halogen light glo0es produce a very warm type of light

Please note that 0lue>tinted halogen glo0es are availa0le for people who prefer a colder light

nless this is your preference you should avoid this type of halogen glo0esomething to /eep in

mind the next time you are shopping for replacementsQ

&eature $ighting and $amps

he addition of lamps is an excellent way to add more controlled lighting options to a meditation

room Feature lighting li/e this can 0e used to add emphasis to one part of your room, and will

provide plenty of atmosphere !alt crystal lamps are a popular choice for meditation rooms these

days, 0ut are hardly your only optionwhy not try using candles in coloured glass holders to cast

a vi0rant glow a0out your roomS

9hen designing a meditation room, /eep the a0ove recommendations in mind and you will 0e

well on your way to creating a room that has great atmosphere and that can 0e ad2usted to suit

your needs at any time of day or night


14/43

Space Adjacency Diagram

Space Adjacency Diagram [ showing ideal spatial progression]


15/43


16/43

!ands"a#e Meditation


17/43

&olume 1(, -ssue ' :: 0y homas %anrahan

@editation %all east elevation, with the three residence halls in the distance

he 9on #harma *enter is a 3),)))>square>foot meditation and spiritual retreat in *laverac/,

ew Hor/ for a ;orean Buddhist sect that emphasi8es 0alance in daily life with a focus on nature

he retreat site is a ())>acre property on a hill with views west to the %udson 7iver &alley and

the *ats/ill @ountains he 0uildings for the retreat V including permanent and guest residences,

an administration 0uilding, and a meditation hall V are sited as far as possi0le from the rural

highway 7oute 53 to the south he 0uildings are oriented west toward views of the *ats/ill

@ountains, and south to maximi8e natural light


18/43

@editation %all and Administration 0uilding, with their connective porches, which frame views

he mission of the center is to create a place where the complexities and struggles of daily life

are secondary to a meditative experience, and untouched nature is seen as an ideali8ed state where

human activity recedes in importance Architecture is understood as a threshold to this vision of

unspoiled natural 0eauty, while the preservation of the natural environment itself is equally

important, assuming an ethical significance 0oth in terms of design and the day>to>day practices

at the *enter &irtually every aspect of the pro2ect was designed 0y us with these two ideas inmind: architecture as a threshold to nature and the preservation and appreciation of the

surrounding natural landscapes as an expression of the 9on *enterTs values he clients

requested that as many natural materials as possi0le 0e used in harmony with the rural character

of the region, and as a reflection of the centerTs mission and its emphasis on ecological design


19/43

&iew of the site, with guest residence in distance, and permanent residence in foreground

he sym0ol of the Buddhist organi8ation is an open circle, suggesting in conceptual terms a void

without a0sence and infinite return, and the 0uildings, in turn, are organi8ed around the formal

concepts of the open frame and spiral he open frame is associated with meditation and the

@editation %all, the focus of the retreat experience he spiral form is used in the design of the

0uildings for daily activities, 0ut also suggests the practice of wal/ing meditation he spiral

0uildings have pu0lic corridors that return upon themselves and form a courtyard with a view tothe *ats/ills that encourage reflection 9al/ing meditation outside the 0uildings include paths

that lin/ the retreat 0uildings into the siteTs 3()>acre nature preserve


20/43

?uest residence halls, fitted with photovoltaic arrays

he five 0uildings of the center are organi8ed on the site around a series of outdoor spaces of

various si8es and experiences he spaces 0etween the 0uildings are large landscapes while

intimate, meditative courtyards comprise the center of the four spiral 0uildings he 0uildings are

placed upon the site relative to each other in an informal, clustered arrangement on the west>

facing hillside in the manner of tree and roc/ clusters commonly found in the %udson 7iver

region he 0uildings also have outdoor spaces in the form of screened porches that invo/e this

image of tree clusters while also providing wood>screened outdoor porches for meeting and quiet

reflection he interior spaces are designed explicitly as thresholds to 0oth these porches and the

landscapes 0eyond with a design language 0ased upon the experience of natural light, wooden

surfaces on floors, and walls and framed views to the west


21/43

!ite Plan

Administration and @editation %all plan


22/43

A unified vision of landscape and architecture 0egins with the sequence through the site he first

point of access ta/es visitors through a stone entrance gate 7etreat visitors are encouraged to

leave their cars at the par/ing lot, located approximately ()) feet south of the meditation hall, and

wal/ to the center along a winding path under the tree line he first view of the retreat compound

from the path is the grass lawn in front of the administration 0uilding and ad2oining @editation

%all pon arrival, the view of the @editation %all acts as a pu0lic gate to the retreat experiencehe 3,)))>square>foot @editation %all is a precise, rectangular void and a lightweight frame to

the natural surroundings -ts wood structure is exposed on three sides to form entrance and

viewing porches, while the interior offers views of the mountains from the meditation space he

administration 0uilding is lin/ed to the @editation %all 0y a series of porches designed to

accommodate formal wal/ing from administration to meditation hese two 0uildings and their

porches frame the outdoor lawn with views of the *ats/ills

he other 0uildings include the residential 0uildings for guests and permanent residents he

designs of the residential 0uildings and the administration 0uilding refer to centuries>old grass>

roofed ;orean farm>houses he roof shapes of each of these 0uildings transform in section

around a spiral organi8ation, from a simple slope in section to a complex triangulated geometry atthe entrance porches he internal organi8ation of each courtyard 0uilding supports silent wal/ing

meditation around the inner courtyards and ad2acent outdoor porches and spaces he courtyards

provide passive cooling, allowing cross ventilation Li/e the @editation %all, all of the courtyard

0uildings are deeply shaded to the west and south to allow natural day>lighting without excessive

heat gain he permanent residence 0uilding is exclusively for retired ministers, and provides

lodging for 51 mem0ers of the organi8ation he two guest residences provide lodging for up to

) retreat visitors 7ooms are simply and elegantly furnished with specially designed furniture

made from plywood and oa/ complementing the architectural design All interior lights are low>

voltage fluorescent or L+#, while exterior lights are solar>powered fluorescent low lighting, with

8ero light pollution

+ntry vesti0ule of @editation %all

Locally harvested eastern cedar is used for

the structural system of glue>lam 0eams and

solid posts and framing mem0ers he

0uildings are clad in cedar 0oards, and the

porch dec/s are made from cedar plan/s

he interior floors are oa/, and the wood

walls are a com0ination of oa/ and pine

he entire complex is designed as a net

8ero>car0on footprint pro2ect he architectsdesigned a heating and cooling system that

includes geo>thermal wells, a photovoltaic

array, solar thermal roof panels, and a

central 0io>mass 0oiler he 9on Buddhists

have committed to harvesting only fallen

trees from their nature reserve as fuel for the

0oiler, resulting in a 8ero>car0on footprint


23/43

for the heat system he 0uildings employ

state>of>the>art construction systems,

including spray>foam insulation, low>e glass

insulated windows, and a radiant in>floor

heating system to minimi8e energy costs for

year>round occupancy


24/43

@editation hall interior, with windows that frame views of the distance

*olla0orators: -nterior design: @yonggi !ul #esignW Lighting design: Light and !paceW @+P

environmental engineering: *! ArchW structural engineering: 9ayman * 9ing *onsulting

+ngineerW !ite engineering: Patric/ Prendergast, P+W ?eneral contracting: %eitmann Builders

*ommunity health center

A healthcare center, health center, or community health center is one of a networ/

of clinics staffed 0y a group of general practitioners and nurses providing healthcare services to

people in a certain area ypical services covered are family practice and dental care,Dclarification

neededE 0ut some clinics have expanded greatly and can include internal medicine, pediatric,

womenTs care, family planning, pharmacy, optometry, la0, and more -n countries with universal

healthcare, most people use the healthcare centers -n countries without universal healthcare, the

clients include the uninsured, underinsured, low>income or those living in areas where little

access to primary health care is availa0leDcitation neededE

E$AM%!ES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinichttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_practitionerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nursehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nursehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarifyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarifyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_healthcarehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_healthcarehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_healthcarehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinichttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_practitionerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nursehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarifyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarifyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_healthcarehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_healthcarehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed


25/43

Buddhist @editation *entre @etta &ihara

0y Bureau !LA

#o8ens of square windows puncture the corrugated steel shell of this 0arn>li/e Buddhist

meditation centre in a rural part of the etherlands 0y #utch architects Bureau !LA "Xslideshow$

he Buddhist organisation @etta &ihara as/ed the architects to create as much space as possi0lewithin the modest 0udget

http://www.dezeen.com/2012/10/30/buddhist-meditation-centre-metta-vihara-by-bureau-sla/http://www.dezeen.com/2012/10/30/buddhist-meditation-centre-metta-vihara-by-bureau-sla/http://www.bureausla.nl/http://www.bureausla.nl/http://www.mettavihara.nl/http://www.mettavihara.nl/http://www.dezeen.com/2012/10/30/buddhist-meditation-centre-metta-vihara-by-bureau-sla/http://www.dezeen.com/2012/10/30/buddhist-meditation-centre-metta-vihara-by-bureau-sla/http://www.bureausla.nl/http://www.mettavihara.nl/


26/43

69hat we wanted was an aesthetic that was 0eautiful 0ut not too comforta0le,6 architect Peter van

Assche told #e8een 6he reason people go to the meditation centre is not to feel cosy V they

want to go deeper, to sense something that is not too o0vious he feeling of the 0uilding should

express this6


27/43

he resulting 0uilding provides 0eds for 5. people in '3 0edrooms as well as a meditation hall,

li0rary and dining hall


28/43

A mansard roof was chosen as a cost>effective way of providing extra living space while also

0orrowing from the vernacular architecture of 4eeland, which is near the Belgian 0order


29/43

hree colours of corrugated steel have 0een used for the facades and roof, with red cedar 0eams

mar/ing the top and 0ottom edges of each steel sheet

he square &elux windows have 0een fitted inside white wooden frames to disguise ugly 2oints

with the steel

he end walls are clad in wood salvaged from scaffolding left over 0y the 0uilders


30/43

At one end of the 0uilding is a large meditation room with gla8ed walls and corrugated steel

shutters, which open out onto a view of the rural landscape


31/43

-nside, 0are limestone has 0een used for the load>0earing walls while the other walls are made

from environmentally certified @#F

Polished concrete has 0een used on all the floors with the exception of the meditation hall, which

is covered with 0lac/ 0am0oo


32/43

he architects added: 6he 0uilding has 0een warmly received 0y local residents, as evident in a

conversation we heard 0etween two passing cyclists: Nhis new cowshed loo/s really good, 0ut

why does it have so many windowsSN6


33/43

9eNve featured two other Buddhist 0uildings on #e8een V a house for a priest along the !hi/o/u

pilgrimage route in =apan and a priestNs quarters in the =apanese Alps

http://www.dezeen.com/2012/06/06/enbutsu-do-at-eifuku-ji-temple-by-zai-shirakawa-architects-associates/http://www.dezeen.com/2012/06/06/enbutsu-do-at-eifuku-ji-temple-by-zai-shirakawa-architects-associates/http://www.dezeen.com/2010/02/02/kuri-at-chushinji-temple-by-katsuhiro-miyamoto-associates/http://www.dezeen.com/2010/02/02/kuri-at-chushinji-temple-by-katsuhiro-miyamoto-associates/http://www.dezeen.com/2010/02/02/kuri-at-chushinji-temple-by-katsuhiro-miyamoto-associates/http://www.dezeen.com/2012/06/06/enbutsu-do-at-eifuku-ji-temple-by-zai-shirakawa-architects-associates/http://www.dezeen.com/2012/06/06/enbutsu-do-at-eifuku-ji-temple-by-zai-shirakawa-architects-associates/http://www.dezeen.com/2010/02/02/kuri-at-chushinji-temple-by-katsuhiro-miyamoto-associates/


34/43

Site plan – click above for larger image

9e previously pu0lished Bureau !LANs ational ?lass @useum %olland in Leerdam, which saw

two houses connected 0y four overlapping 0ridges wrapped in aluminium mesh

Ground floor plan – click above for larger image

http://www.dezeen.com/2010/09/16/national-glass-museum-holland-by-bureau-sla/http://www.dezeen.com/2010/09/16/national-glass-museum-holland-by-bureau-sla/


35/43

First floor plan – click above for larger image

Photographs are 0y =eroen @usch

%ereNs some further information from the architects:

he Buddhist @editation *entre @etta &ihara is located in %engstdi2/ V a small village near the

Belgian 0order V in a remote area of the etherlands he inha0itants of @etta &ihara "defined as

Ncommunity of loving /indnessN in the Pali language$ are mem0ers of the riratna *ommunity, a

Buddhist movement not aligned to one traditional school, 0ut one that draws on the whole stream

of Buddhist inspiration

Long section – click above for larger image

he new accommodation provides 5. 0eds in '3 one> and two>person 0edrooms, a meditation

hall, li0rary and dining hall Form and materials used in the centre relate to the rural vernacular

0uilding, 0ut used in a new and fresh way

http://www.jeroenmusch.nl/http://www.jeroenmusch.nl/


36/43

As the centre is financed mainly 0y gifts from community mem0ers and friends, one of the design

0riefs was to maximise the the space while minimising the cost Gur overall design concept was

to design a 0uilding that, while 0eautiful, wasnTt overly comforting his is in line with the

philosophy that, while on retreat, one should feel relaxed 0ut not necessarily Nat homeN As a

result, @etta &ihara has strong aesthetics that feature ro0ust and raw materials

Long section – click above for larger image

he overall form of the meditation centre is an interpretation of the so>called @ansard roof, also

/nown as the French roof sed throughout the area "mainly 0ecause of its low cost$, the

@ansard roof is found widely on houses and 0arns he facade of the centre V along with the

cladding of the roof V is made of corrugated steel, a material popular for its low cost, strength,

and long life ypically, the draw0ac/ of using corrugated steel is in the ungraceful way it 2oins

with other materials, specifically at the corners and in the overlays At @etta &ihara, however, it

has 0een used Nas isN: no 2oints and no connections 9estern red cedar 0eams and white wood

window frames mar/ the transitions from one steel sheet to the next, with the hori8ontal lines of

the 0eams giving the 0uilding depth and profile hree different colors of steel are used, and in

three different wavelengths -ndeed at first sight, it is not at all clear what the scale of the 0uilding

is: does it have five floorsS hreeS woS


37/43

Cross section A

he same approach of using raw materials in this new way is also used in the design of the

windows he windows in the steel s/in V in facade and roof V are standard &elux windows,

which are technically super0 and relatively inexpensive As with the corrugated steel, however,

there is often an aesthetic compromise in the 2oints with other materials -n the case of @etta

&ihara, though, they are framed with white painted wood, giving them a distinctive loo/

Cross section B

As a contrast to the more industrial loo/s of the steel, the short sides of the 0uilding and the

terrace walls are cladded with wood, a ro0ust 0ut also warm material For this, wood already

availa0le on site was used: the leftovers of the scaffolding wood used 0y the 0uilders he

structureNs interior consists of unfinished 0uilding materials, al0eit used in a considerate V even

delicate V way

!tructural walls are 0are unplastered lime stone Floors are raw concrete, polished and uncovered,

with the exception of the meditation hall, which features 0lac/ 0am0oo flooring on>load0earing

walls are made of ecologically manufactured @#F sheets and are coated with transparent

colours, in order that the structure of the material remains visi0le


38/43

Cross section C

-n the meditation hall, doors open to the outside, allowing open air meditation 9hen closed,these doors > made of perforated corrugated steel V serve to filter the sunlight his gives the

space an intimate atmosphere, providing optimal conditions for meditation he 0uilding has 0een

warmly received 0y local residents, as evident in a conversation we heard 0etween two passing

cyclists: 6his new cowshed loo/s really good, 0ut why does it have so many windowsS6 he

@etta &ihara 0uilding is the first newly 0uilt meditation centre in the etherlands

Cross section D

Pro2ect: Buddhist @editation *entre @etta &ihara

!tart design: 5))

!tart 0uilding: M5)''

Gpening: .M5)'5

?ross Area: 1.( m5

Building costs: ca Y.(),))) ex &A


39/43

#esign: 0ureau !LA

*lient: @etta &ihara

Address: %engstdi2/se ;er/straat 3., %engstdi2/, he etherlands

Program: '3 0edrooms, meditation hall, li0rary and dining hall

*ontractor: &an ;erc/hoven Bouw, ;looster8ande

!tructural +ngineer: !ineth +ngineering, !chiphol

!ustaina0ility: !unraytec, 9oerden

Pro2ect team: Peter van Assche, %is/e van der @eer, ?onZalo @oreira, *harlotte &ermaning,

=ustyna Gsiec/a

C o n c l u s i o n s

Conte't

An urban context of ten r equ ir e s

a un ique sol ut ion for a

r eli g iou s s pace ! " i s often

con si st s of a #a$ to separate

t"e int er nal spa ces from t "e

street b$ a ser ie s of buffer

spaces For e xam pl e% t"e cour t$ards in t "e Budd " i st

med it at ion center and t"e

& ind u t em pl e

!pproach

De pend in g on t"e context% an approac" can be d ir ect % cer emon ial % and

a xial or # ind in g and more invol ved 'uc" of t " i s depends on t"e d en sit $ o f

t"e area around% t"e amount of t r a ff ic pa ss in g % and t"e line s of sit e to t "e

space Fo r e xam pl e% in t"e Budd " i st med it at ion centre t"e entr$ i s pl aced

around a corner off of t"e main st r eet


40/43

Spatial rogression

!"e s pat ial pr o g r e ss ion r elie s

"eav il $ on t"e purpose and

focus of t "e bu il d in g For

e xam pl e% in t"e & ind u t em pl e

t"e spaces move from t i g "t and

bur ied % c limbin g to li g "t and

open% s $mbo li ( in g t"e sou l ) s

*our ne $ t o en li g "t enment

Organi(ation

!"e or g an i ( at ion of spaces al so

depends on t"e purpose of t"e

s pace C at "ed r al s % for e xam pl e%

are or g an i ( ed a xiall $ in line # it " t"e main al t ar o f t"e supreme

d eit $ & ind u spaces of #or s" i p

tend to be more r ad ial

)olume

!"e vo l ume of spaces are most often used to r ein f or ce t"e s pat ial

pr o g r e ss ion Fo r e xam pl e% in t"e C at "o lic c"urc" on +ueen ) s#a $ t "e spaces

r emain small and narro# unt il t"e$ reac" t"e sanctuar$ #ere t "e vol ume

incr ea se s d r amat icall$


41/43

$ight

Li g "t i s u suall $ used in connect ion # it " s pat ial

vol ume to en"ance t "e pr o g r e ss ion t"roug" t"e

spaces , m por tant spaces

and d e st inat ion s t end

to be li g "t er #" il e passages tend to be d immer ! " i s "el p s to em p"a si ( e a sense

of arr iva l and move peo pl e t"roug" t"e t r an s it ional s pace s

Materials

' at er ial s often r el $ on t"e

use of t"e space% suc" as

t"e need for mar bl e in t"e

& ind u mand ir !"e$ can

al so be used for

p s $c"ol o g ical effect F or

e xam p l e% t"e use of #ood

in t"e & ind u and Budd " i st

spaces to create a f ee lin g

of #armt"% or t"e br i g "t #" it e #all s in t"e+ueens#a$ c"urc" t o

en"ance t"e comfor t abl e%

cent r ali ( ed f ee l of t"e

geometr$ and a sense of t "e

pure and sacr ed


42/43

*oundaries

Bound ar ie s are e ssent ial to t"e

s pat ial pr o g r e ss ion !"e$ makeit d i ff icu l t or eas$ to move

bet#een spac es and en"ance t"e

f ee lin g of im por tance of a

space For e xam pl e% t"e on l $

door l e f t cl o sed in t"e

+ueen ) s#a $ c"urc" i s t "e door

to t"e sanctuar$% sett in g i s a par

t as im por t an t

Decoration / Ornamentation

Decor at ion can be used for

a mu l t it ud e of pur po se s , n

t"e Budd " i st space% #all

mur al s #"ere used to

en"ance t"e p s $c"ol o g ical

effect of t "e preparator$

spaces # it " l and sca pe s

and f l or al patterns cr eat in g

a cal min g effect - " il e st ained g l a ss # ind o# s in a

C "r i st ian c"urc" can be

used t o teac" and to t ell

st or ie s

hilosoph# / &ocus

!"e p" il o so p" $ and focus of t"e space i s t"e one factor t "at

in f l uence s all of t"e ot"ers

, t in f or m s all d e s i g n

d ec i s ion s and i s t"e ba s i s for t"e s pat ial e x per ience

t"at i s t"e main t oo l for

cr eat in g t"e d e s ir ed

p s $c"ol o g ical effect , t


43/43

d et er mine s #"at t"e d e s ir ed

e ff ect s"ou l d be

Re+erences:

htt#s:&&en.'i(i#edia.or&'i(i&Meditation

htt#:&&'''.de)een."om&*+,*&,+&-+&buddhistmeditation"entremetta/ihara

bybureausla&

htt#:&&0aithand0orm."om&0eature&lands"a#emeditation&

htt#:&&'''."ho#ra."om&""l&thehistoryo0meditation

htt#:&&'''.theuidedmeditationsite."om&desininameditationroom.html

Desinin an 1rban Meditation Centre by Joliette M. 2ade(en: 1ni/ersity o0Nebras(a !in"oln3
http://www.dezeen.com/2012/10/30/buddhist-meditation-centre-metta-vihara-by-bureau-sla/http://www.dezeen.com/2012/10/30/buddhist-meditation-centre-metta-vihara-by-bureau-sla/http://faithandform.com/feature/landscape-meditation/http://www.chopra.com/ccl/the-history-of-meditationhttp://www.dezeen.com/2012/10/30/buddhist-meditation-centre-metta-vihara-by-bureau-sla/http://www.dezeen.com/2012/10/30/buddhist-meditation-centre-metta-vihara-by-bureau-sla/http://faithandform.com/feature/landscape-meditation/http://www.chopra.com/ccl/the-history-of-meditation

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