Above: A diagram of hMa's courtyards at the Won Dharma Retreat. hMa designed the courtyards to incorporate diagonal walking paths, building to building. The concept was that practitioners walk from void to void - in a z-shaped path.
The Diagram shows three variations on walking paths: a ‘loop’ linking residence halls 1 and 2; a walking meditation sequence linking permanent residents to an outdoor sitting area behind their building; and finally, the walk connecting dining and meditation.
hMa had extensive conversations with the Buddhists who saw these sequences as the primary experience of the retreat.
Aerial View of Residence Halls 1 and 2 showing the dynamic relationship of the courtyards.
Let's walk through courtyards:
Fractal roofs - announce buildings and courtyard entries:
View into a courtyard:
Roof Detail:
Path from a Courtyard:
Path from a courtyard (above):
Path into the adjacent courtyard (above):
and out again, into the site (above):
Entry into the Permanent Residents' courtyard (above):
In the courtyard (above):
Porches and steps: everything is sustainably harvested wood:
Porches and steps: Won Buddhist Retreat is as much about the materiality of wood, as it is about the effort required to attain Zero Carbon Footprint. (the project is also a Brownfield Mitigation project).
back to where we started the journey: at the Won Buddhist Retreat Administration building courtyard.
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