A sacred architecture for the secular spirit : an institute for mind/body training in New York City

Abstract

The goal of the project is to design a non-sectarian meditation center in the dense urban area of New York City. The design challenge is to draw inspiration from an interpretation of ancient philosophies of meditation, without simply importing cultural relics from places in which those philosophies have flourished in the past. More difficult was the decision to apply meditation philosophy not just to the design, but to the process of designing. The functional purpose of the building is somewhat flexible. People who practice meditation mayor may not be involved with an organized religion. The current "Dharma scene" in America is extremely diverse. The purpose of the Center is to facilitate the exploration of the mind and reality that goes on in meditation. It might serve as a meeting place for various groups, and also as a center for the study and debate. Practitioners of different schools might meet to compare notes, or to attend conferences such as the Mind Science seminars held on a semi-annual basis by the Dalai Lama and researchers in the cognitive sciences.