dharma retreat

c o n t e n t s

i n t r o d u c t i o n

sh e l t e r e d i n t h e f i r t h w h e r e t h e

r i v e r f o r t h m e e t s t h e n o r t h s e a , c r a -m o n d I s l a n d l i e s .

as night gives birth to day the water surrounding the island recedes giving way to a foot-path marked by crumbling concrete pillars that exist as a stark reminder of a time many

wish they could forget. Feet travel over weather chapped basalt rocks that bridge the causeway to desire lines that lead to the heart of the Island. This is a proposal to alter the existing WWII fortifi-cations on Cramond Island to house a small self-

sustaining community of Buddhist monks . Dharma Retreat will not only serve as a sanctuary to the wider Buddhist community, but will also welcome people of any ethnicity, creed and background by providing a space where the life changing events that unify us as human beings can be celebrated and meditated upon. The Island will accommodate the celebra-tion of three milestone events which can be defined as Birth, Marriage and Death. Dharma Retreat represents an enlightened society that will pave the path that leads to a peaceful and sustainable world.

c r a m o n d i s l a n d

b r i e f

s c h e d u l e o f a c c o m m o d at i o n1. Gatehouse: Information area Dorm space toilet/shower facilities

2. Temple: Prayer space for monks Union Pavilion (Marital ceremonies) Birth Pavilion (Birth blessings) Stupa (Memorial space)

3. Lamasery: Bhikku (male) residence Bhikkuni (female) residence Guesthouse Tea House Kitchen Food store Study space Meditation spaces/hermitages4. Allotment

the overriding philosophy that underpins the Dharma Retreat is to create a space that unifies communities through the re-alisation of the core principles

that are the bedrock of Buddhism. The way in which this philosophy manifests is through the celebration of three key events that ef-fect every single being on the planet. The first is through the blessing of Birth, the second is Marriage and the third is Death. A Buddhist Monastery is a perfect host for such events due to Buddhist belief that such events are of a personal and secular nature. A bespoke space will be created for each event that will em-body a secular spirituality and be able to ac-commodate the needs of the individual. Each space will celebrate the natural environment

around it through creating internalised land-scapes constructed from sustainably sourced materials and by employing passive measures to maintain comfortable conditions. The three pavilions will be separate from the main Bud-dhist Temple however they will be intercon-nected through the use of landscape design that will highlight the cyclical nature of our world and how each event is inextricably connected. Each of the celebrations will be overseen by the monastic community, particularly marriage which will be conducted by an ordained monk.Day to day life on the Island will be supported by Lay Volunteers who together with the monks will live an entirely sustainable existence through employing permaculture to provide an organic vegetarian diet as well as encouraging all forms of native wildlife to flourish on the island.

Dharma Retreat will implant itself into it’s sur-rounding communities through hosting a wide range of courses and retreat programs that will be open to anyone including families and disa-bled people. Courses will focus on Medititation and Yoga which are becoming increasing relevant to the break-neck pace of today’s society. Mind fullness and wellbeing will form the cornerstone of these courses promoting the Buddhist ap-proach to daily life. One week retreat programs will run throughout the year to allow meditation practitioners the opportunity to focus their minds and to engage further with the monastic com-munity. Dharma retreat will be a sister commu-nity to Kagyu Samye Ling and Holy Isle adding its own unique platform for promoting interfaith relations through providing formalised spaces for the celebration of life’s fundamental events.

gatehouse to the Island for those who are seeking retreat and pilgrimaging monks from surrounding communities. The Knoll

will also provide a visitor information area that will enlighten visitors of the Buddhist community and its activity on the island. The space will act as a buffer between the physical and the spiritual world as a final glance is taken at the path behind.

Modest sleeping accomodation will also be provided for guardians of the island.

place of Prayer for the Buddhist monks and retreatants. This area was chosen due to its offset position

away from the main cluster of buildings that will form the Lamasery. This is also the larg-est of all the existing buildings on the island and is topographically the most elevated.

Place of Celebration: Birth Blessings and Naming ceremonies,Rites of Passage and Com-ing of Age rituals, Union ceremonies as well as death rituals. Each of these will be conducted within specially designed pavilions within the landsape surrounding the temple. A memorial Stupa will act as a shrine dedicated to hon-ouring people who have died and preserving their ashes. although the celebrations are in-congruous in nature there will be an empham-sised architectural or landcaped connection between the pavilions and the Stupa in hold-ing to the Buddhist tenet and philosophy that Birth and Death are inextricably connected.

m a s t e r p l a n

t e m p l e m o n a s t e r y

g at e h o u s e

habitation area for the monks and retreatants. Meditation, Yoga and Study (5) will be the main activities

within these spaces as well as providing invdi-vidual living space. This area was chosen due to it being the more private and isolated part of the Island that overlooks the great expanse of the Firth of Firth aswell as the North Sea.The Tea House (4) will act as a focal point, bring-ing the monks together for refreshment and so-cial interaction, The Living accomodation will be divided by gender to support the tenet of celi-bacy. The living space are likely to be additional structures to what is already existing, they will be integegrated into the landscape and will be con-structed from honest local materials that will harm the environment and the site as little as possible. The three internal meditative spaces (1,2,3) will be designed to accomodate varying numbers of people. An architectural connection will be made between the Monastery and the Temple,.

5

12

34

River Almond

6

7

8

9

6.old Farmstead: Potential Allotment posi-tion, it is the most sheltered part of the is-land and the ruined farm houses could be renovated into potting sheds and cold stores.

7.the Duck House: Hermit-age for a monk in permanent retreat.

8,9. wWII Fortifications: potential meditation her-mitages due to their isolated positions on the island

10. potential position of a pier so that boats can dock at the island during both low and high tide.

10

p u b l i c / p r i vat e u s edharma Retreat is an inclusive community and welcome the public into the entire complex during open hours with the exception of the monks’ individual private residences.

open HoursThe Gatehouse will be open during the two periods of low tide each and every day to welcome retreatants, pilgrims and dog walkers alike. The Gatehouse will be shared space between the public and the monastic community.

the Temple will be open to the public between the hours of 6:00am - 9:00pm however certain restrictions will be applied during scheduled meditation and prayer times:6:00 - 7:00 am: Tara Prayers1:30 - 3:00 pm: Mahakala Prayer7:00 - 7:45 pm: Chenrezik Prayers(Sundays: 7.00 - 8.00 Amitabha Prayers, 8.00 - 8.30 Chenrezik Prayers)

tea House: Opens everyday between 7:00am - 9:00pm but will close intermittently during the day and during prayer times.

pavilions and Stupa: Subject to booking - due to the private nature of the events that these spaces accommodate there will be a booking system in place to ensure ensure that the users privacy is protected. While the pavilions and stupa are not in use they will be open to the public during the Lamasery opening hours from 6:00am - 9:00pm.

study Space: Will be used during organised courses that are subject to booking and will be open to the public outside of course hours during the lamasery open hours from 6:00am - 9:00pm. This space will be a quiet and contemplative space and this must be respected by all visitors.

meditation spaces: Subject to booking by organised courses or individuals including monks. Certain meditative spaces/hermitages may be used by monks on permanent retreat and therefore these will not be open to the public.

allotment: Open during daylight hours. Member of the public who wish to volunteer in helping run the allotments and general maintenance of the Lamasery will be subject to interview and will be accommodated in the Guest house.

c o d e o f c o n d u c t

f i v e g o l d e n r u l e s

To p r o t e c t D h a r m a R e t r e a t a s a s a c r e d s p a c e a l l v i s i t o r s s h o u l d r e -

p e c t t h e s e r u l e s :

1. To protect life and refrain from killing.

2. To respect other’s property and refrain from stealing.

3. To speak the truth and refrain from lying.

4. To embrace health and refrain from intoxicants.

5. To respect others and refrain from harmful sexual activity.

dharma Retreat will be a sister community to Kagyu Samye Ling in Eskdalemuir in south west Scotland act-ing in a similar role to Holy Isle. Holy Isle was estab-

lished by Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche, a Tibetan Buddhist meditation master who also founded Samye Ling. Holy Isle has a small community that focuses on promoting interfaith activity and world peace. The complex is open year round hosting a number programmes including short and long term retreats, meditation cours-es and working holiday volunteering projects. Holy Isle is divided into several areas, some

of which are reserved for birds and animals, others for a native tree planting programme.Dharma Retreat will also focus on promoting interfaith relations through the celebration of milestone life events that effect everybody re-gardless of creed. Dharma Retreat will allow monks from Samye ling, Holy Isle and world-wide to be part of a unique and fulfilling vision to connect to surrounding communities through hosting events that celebrate the crucial stages of human life and offering a place of study and contemplation that slows the pace of daily life. Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche will be the abbot of the Dharma Retreat and will guide the com-munity as he does with Samye Ling and Holy

b u d d h i s m : a n i n t r o d u c t i o n

“ I f s c i e n c e s u r v e y s t h e o b j e c t i v e w o r l d , a n d p h i l o s o -p h y u n r a v e l s i n t r i c a c i e s o f l o g i c , B u d d h i s m d i v e s i n t o t h e v e r y a b y s s o f b e i n g , a n d t e l l s u s i n t h e d i r e c t -e s t p o s s i b l e m a n n e r a l l i t s e e s u n d e r t h e s u r f a c e . ”

the Buddhist community is the oldest institution of mankind. It has outlived the bul-lying empires of history, guarded by hosts of soldiers, ships and magistrates and has spread throughout the world over a period of 2500 years. Buddhism is a re-ligion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices,

largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Bud-dha meaning “the awakened one”. Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian sub-continent sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries. He is recognized as an awakened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings end suffering, achieve nirvana, and es-

cape what is seen as a cycle of suffering and rebirth. Two major branches of Buddhism are recognized: Theravada (The School of the Elders) and Mahayana (The Great Vehicle). The oldest surviving branch, Theravada, has a widespread following in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, and Mahayana is found throughout East Asia and includes the traditions of Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Shingon, Tendai and Shinnyo-en. In some classifications Vajrayana, a subcategory of Mahayana, is recognized as a third branch. While Buddhism remains most popular within Asia, both branches are now found throughout the world. There are 376 million followers worldwide, 151, 816 of which living in the UK making it the fourth largest religion in the world.

Isle. Dharma Retreat will accommodate twenty monks in permanent residence, some of which will partake in permanent retreat , some of whom will be specially trained to teach yoga and meditation and others who may have a special interested in connecting to communities and spreading the word of Buddhism. To con-duct marriage on the island one of the monks will have to be ordained and licensed to per-form a legally binding ceremony. In addition to the monks the island will also house between five to ten Lay volunteers who will support the monastic community by carrying out domestic duties including cooking, cleaning and gen-eral maintenance of the site and its buildings.

d h a r m a r e t r e at a n d t h e w i d e r b u d d h i s t c o m m u n i t y

dharma Retreat will be part of the ROKPA Trust, a registered charity that is aimed at giving children from the poorest back-grounds the opportunity of

an education and training. ROKPA also funds health care and a small number or environ-mental projects as well as preserving and re-generating Tibet’s rich culture and language. Dharma Retreat will depend financially on donations as well as the fees for weekend courses, retreats and the use of the celebra-tion spaces. All profit will be invested back into the retreat as well as to the ROKPA Trust.

b u d d h i s m : t h e b e g i n n i n g

siddhartha Guatama, born around 550 BC in Kapi-lavastu, on the present

border of India and Nepal. Son of the king of the Shakya Clan, he was a contemporary of Lao-Tse and confucius of Zarathustra, Plato and Socrates. One day when out riding with his coachman, he encountered in succession an old man, a sick man, a corpse being con-

veyed to the pyre and a wandering ascetic.

deciding to seek the cure to these in-evitable evils of human existence, the prince left the palace, wife and

child to devote himself to this now unavoid-able quest. Years of privation and austerity passed in vain, until the explorer finally shat-tered the wall of his own ignorance and found the key to his irrepressible search during long

meditation under the Sacred Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya. Henceforth awakened, the

prince ceaselessly taught the Four No-ble Truths of suffering, of its Source and of its End, and of the means

to overcome it. In his monastic wanderings, he brought about many conversions, and his disciples undertook to spread the Good Word. Having become the Buddha, the lord

of knowledge and wisdom died in Kushinagar. His disciples declared that he had attained Nirvana, the supreme liberation or extinction.

at this point history ends and the story begins - many stories, tales of millions of human beings who

generation after generation, in land af-ter land, have found comfort and guidance in the teachings of the Enlightened One.

Gate to the Sacred Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya

b u d d h i s m : t h e f o u r h o ly t r u t h s

n e x t t o b u d d h a , t h e d h a r m a1. What is the holy truth of ill? Birth is ill, decay is ill, death is ill. To be conjoined with what one dislikes means suffering. To be disjoined with what one likes is suffering.

2. What then is the holy truth of the originating ill? It is that craving that leads to rebirth, accompanied by delight and greed.

3. What then is the holy truth of the stopping ill? It is the complete stopping of that craving, the withdrawal from it, renouncing of it, throwing it back, liberation from it, non attachment to it.

4. What then is holy truth of the steps which lead to ill? It is this Holy eightfold path which consists of: Right view, right intentions, right speech, right conduct, right liveli hood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

m o n a s t i c l i f eDharma Retreat, as a sister community to Kagyu Samye Ling, will be a cen-tre for wisdom and learning within the Karma Kagyu of Tibetan Buddhism. The Kagyu Lineage is one of the four main traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. It is a complete form of Buddhism including all three levels of the Buddha’s teaching:Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana.Its speciality lies in the profound meditation techniques of mahamudra and special tantric practices called the “six yogas of Naropa” that are used to speed up realisa-tion of the true nature of mind. These profound teachings were gathered by an illustri-ous line of Indian patriarchs, including the great 11th century master Tilopa, who was the one responsible for integrating the mahamudra teachings with the tantric practices.The Karma Kagyu school belongs to the Vajrayana branch of Mahayana Buddhism. It is a Triyana school, referring to the turning of the Dharma wheel. It is agreed that the first turn of the wheel occurred when Buddha gave his first lesson after enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree, Mahayana believe in successive turns of the wheel, the second turn is the teaching of the Perfection of Wisdom sutra, a foundational text of Mahayana Buddhism; and the third is the teaching of the Mahavairoca-na Sutra, a foundational text of Tantric Buddhism. Within the school, monks keep the vows of vinaya while lay practioners hold the Upasaka vows. The Vinaya is the regulatory framework for the Sangha, Buddhist monastic community based on the canonical texts called the Vinaya Pitaka. (See Appendix)The central teaching of the Karma Kagyu is the doctrine of Mahamudra, also known

the four yogas of mahamudra

The development of single-pointedness of mind.• • The transcendence of all conceptual elaboration. • The cultivation of the perspective that all phenomena are of a “single taste”.

• The fruition of the path, which is beyond any contrived acts of meditation.

as the “Great Seal” which refers to the unbreakable state of mind achieved through ad-vanced meditation. This doctrine focuses on four principal stages of meditative practice of:

m o n a s t i c l i f e

the Buddhist monastic or-der is divided into two as-semblies, the male bhikkhu assembly, and the female bhikkhuni as-sembly. Monks

and nuns are expected to fulfil a variety of roles in the Buddhist community. They are expected to provide a living example for the laity, and to serve as a “field of merit” for lay followers, pro-viding laymen and women with the opportunity to earn merit or good karma by giving gifts and support to the monks. In return for the sup-port of the laity, monks and nuns are expected

t e n p r e c e p t s1. Refrain from killing living things.2. Refrain from stealing.3. Refrain from un-chastity (sensuality, sexuality, lust).4. Refrain from lying.5. Refrain from taking intoxicants.6. Refrain from taking food at inappropri ate times (after noon).7. Refrain from singing, dancing, pl aying music or attending entertainment programs (performances).8. Refrain from wearing perfume, cosmet ics and garland (decorative accessories).9. Refrain from sitting on high chairs and sleeping on luxurious, soft beds.10. Refrain from accepting money.

to live an austere life focused on the study of Buddhist doctrine, the practice of meditation, and the observance of good moral character. A Bhikkhu or Bhikkhuni first ordains as a saman-era (novice) for a year or more before they enter into the order. Male novices often ordain at a very young age, but generally no younger than eightwhile women usually ordain as adults. Sa-maneras live according to the Ten Precepts, but are not responsible for living by the full set of Vi-naya monastic rules. Higher ordination, confer-ring the status of a full bhikkhu or bhikkhuni, is usu-ally given only to those over the age of twenty. The disciplinary regulations for monks and nuns are intended to create a life that is simple and focused, rather than one of deprivation or sever asceticism. Celibacy is of primary im-portance in monastic discipline. Depending on

the tradition and the strictness of obsevation, monastics may eat only one meal a day, pro-vided either by direct donation of food from the lay supporters. Unlike christian monastics, Bhikkus and Bhikkhunis are not required to live a life of obendience to a superior. However, it is expected that monastics will offer respect to senior members of the Sangha. The Buddha did not appoint a successor, nor did he specify rules mandating obedience in the monastic code. Individual groups of monastics are ex-pected to make decisions collectively through regular gatherings of the community at which decisions about the running of the monastery can be made. An abess or abbot, typically a senior monastic is usually responsible for the daily administration of the monastery and may appoint others to assist with the work..

m o n a s t i c l i f e : a d ay i n t h e l i f e

the core of the Buddhist move-ment consisted of monks, and it is thought by some that a monastic life alone will provide the conditions favourable to

gaining enlightenment. Historically the monks lived as wandering hermits, and only lived in communities during the three months of the rainy season. The monks can be seen as the Buddhist elite, The continuity of the monastic organisation has been the overriding constant factor in Buddhist history. Poverty, celibacy and inoffensiveness are the three essentials of mo-nastic life. Historically a monk possessed almost no private property, he was allowed to have his robes , an alms bowl, a needle, a rosary, a razor with which he could shave his head every fortnight, and filter which served to re-

move insects from his drinking water. Originally, the dress consisted of rags which were taken from rubbish heaps in the villages, and stitched together and died a uniform saffron colour. In theory and intention a monk should be without a home or permanent shelter, as the Buddha had been. Monks were to rely on begging for all his needs. The begging bowl was the Bud-dha’s badge of sovereignty. Teachers often gave their begging bowl to their successor as sign of the transmission of authority. Buddhists consider the practice of begging as a breed-ing ground for many virtues particularly humility. Celibacy is a cornerstone of monastic life, main-ly as a means eliminating sexual impulse as a distraction from the Dharma. In addition to this, sexual relations may lead to children and chil-dren would be a terrible tie to one who wished

to live outside society in carefree independence.Within monastic life the Guru’s role is cardinal: it is upon him/her that rests the duty of leading the pupil by the most appropriate path to the thresh-old of knowledge, wisdom and enlightenment.

Daily Routine:

6:00 am = 7:00 am: Tara prayers = This hour long session includes a twenty minute meditation session. The prayers are said to Tara Drolma

m o n a s t i c l i f e : p r a c t i c a l r e q u i r e m e n t sAlthough Monastics lead a simple life there are of course fundamental requirements that they will need in order to live comfortably at Dharma Retreat:

• Cleanwaterbothfordrinkingandtomaintainpersonalhygiene• Sustainableandorganicallyproducedfood• Kitchenandutilityspace• Shelterthatcansustaincomfortabletemperatureconditions• Electricitytorunappliances,electriclight,water/airheatingsystems• Separatemaleandfemaleindividuallivingaccommodation• Robestowearasuniform• Wastesystemstodealwithhumanandgenericwaste.• Studyspace• Communalareasi.e.Diningroom/commonroom• Toilets/washroom

The facilities will need to have some level of security to protect against theft or vandalism. Visitors and retreatants will have similar requirements to those of the permanent residents however there will also need to be provision for families and disabled people. Families may need such things as baby changing facilities and high chairs as well as an appropriate waste system for nappies. Disabled visitors/monks will need to have ramped/elevator access to any areas above ground level, and a landscaped means of smooth passage between each building on the island, as well as appropriate toilet/wash facilities.The prayer and meditative space will also need to have certain practical factors realised within the design scheme. The Temple will need to be a warm space throughout the day par-

ticularly during prayer times. The majority of activity within the temple will be floor based and therefore this needs to be warm and comfortable. The floor finish may not necessarily have to be soft due to the use of Zafu’s (cushions). Natural Ventilation will need to be employed to ensure that the temple does not overheat when it is being used for large ceremonies. Acoustics will play an important role within the temple due to the importance of chanting and instruments within prayer ceremonies. Security against theft and vandalism will have to be considered.

Temple requirements:

• Definedareasformonasticsandlaypractitioners• Alterwithimageryofmaindeities• Individualpujatables-tosetupindividualprayer/meditativespace• Scripturesandprayerbooksstoredwithintemple• Prayerwheels• StorageforMusicalinstruments• Offeringbowls• Chairsforthosewhocannotsitonthefloor• Zafus(cushions)• Toiletfacilitiesincloseproximity

m o n a s t i c l i f e : p r a c t i c a l r e q u i r e m e n t s

r e t r e at a n d s t u d y p r o g r a m s

Dharma Retreat will offer a range of courses with a particular focus on weekend courses that involve the study of Meditation and Yoga. These courses will have no specific religious content, but through living within the Buddhist community the course participants will gain knowledge of Buddhism and monastic life which may then lead onto volunteering as a Lay supporter within the monastic community which in turn could lead to them becoming a Samanera. Both the Meditation and Yoga courses will be held within the Monastery and conducted by specially edu-cated monks. Part of the Monastic study space will be designed to accommodate group work both for the monks and for course use. This designated space will have to allow plentiful room for the physical activity involved in both Yoga and Meditation. The climatic conditions of the space will have to be very easily manipulated to suit the pace of the course, for example gentle meditation will require the spaces to be slightly above standard room temperature to compensate for the decreased heart rate that occurs during meditation. Conversely the space will need to be readily ventilated while the space is used for yoga classes during the times of year when it cannot be conducted outside.

Due to the limited space on the Island, Dharma Retreat will only accommodate week long re-treats. These will be guided retreats led by experienced teachers with a balanced daily pro-gramme of meditation and teaching sessions. The retreatants will reside in the guest house alongside the lay volunteers and course participants. The retreatants will share the study and communal space with the monks and lay volunteers. Short term retreats arre par-ticularly appropriate for those who wish to devote a period of time to more intensive study and practice, but who do not have the time or opportunity to participate in longer retreats. r e t r e at s

c o u r s e s

c e l e b r at i o n s : b i r t h

c e l e b r at i o n s : u n i o n

there is no formal birth ritual within Buddhism, which creates an opportunity for in-dividuals to have the freedom to celebrate it in a way that feels natural to them. In many Buddhist countries blessings and thanksgivings ceremonies do take place within monasteries, however the services are varied according to local culture. The celebration of birth is very important within British culture and Dharma Retreat will offer an alternative means of commemorating birth within a scared environ-

ment. The participants themselves will not have to be Buddhist to use the facility rather it will act as a tool for the Buddhist community to connect with the surrounding communities and future generations

scottish law al-lows couples to get mar-ried more or less anywhere,

which makes conducting legally binding ceremo-nies on Cramond island very straightforward.Buddhists believe marriage to be a secular matter which is neither encouraged or dis-couraged. Marriage is considered a personal concern; there are no religious directions on whether or not one should marry or remain unwed. There is also no formal wedding serv-ice. This does not, however, mean that Bud-

dhist weddings do not have a rich tradition. Throughout the subcontinent, Buddhist com-munities have assembled creative wedding ceremonies out of Asian and Buddhist rituals. The secular aspect of Buddhism and the reli-gion’s inclusive attitude towards embracing all people of all denominations can be used as a means of connecting the Dharma Retreat with the communities around it locally and perhaps even on an international scale. By focusing on the Buddhist tenet of respecting all living beings and selecting elements of Buddhist symbology that illude to the passage of time and drawing connections between marital vows to the Ten

Precepts. The Ceremony would be conducted by an ordained monk making the ceremony legally binding as well as spiritually. Although there are no specific rituals within Buddhism, Scotland offers a host of traditions and rituals that could be employed within ceremonies for example the Lang Reel which is a custom spe-cific to the North Eastern Coastal areas of Scot-land. The Lang Reel is a dance that sees villag-ers and the wedding party begin dancing from the harbour, continuing through the village and each couple leave the reel when they pass their home. This continues until the only couple left are the bride and groom who have the last dance.

f i n a l r e s t i n g p l a c e

c e l e b r at i o n + m e m o r i a l p r a c t i c a l r e q u i r e m e n t s

b u d d h i s t s y m b o l o g y

The Wheel of Time is a multicoloured diagram of the initiation of the Kalachakra which offers the hope of gain-ing enlightenment within a single lifetime. By attuning the human being to the cosmos the Kalachakra acti-vates the internal and external forces illustrated by the stupa, the medium of meditation and diagram of the universe. Buddhists anchor human beings in their physical, spiritual and universal dimensions through the wheel of time. The wheel of time regu-lates the daily calendar based on lunar cycles. The days of the week are named after the planets and form thirty day months, their names strictly ordinal: first month, second month, etc. Each month begins on the new moon so that the full moon marks the mid-month.

See Film 002 on DVD

k a l a c h a k r a

The wheel of life is a visual depiction of the various states of being. It is found in every monastery usually paint-ed directly onto the wall, but also on paper or cloth. The Wheel of Life reminds all sentient beings that the supreme aim is ever and always enlightenment. Traditionally, the Lord Of Death with the projecting fangs and forehead wreathed in a ma-cabre crown, holds firmly between his powerful arms a large disc in which four concentric circles of codified dimensions are in-scribed. He is thought to personify destiny, what is ordinarily called Karma and symbolises the transient nature of all phenomena.

t h e w h e e l o f l i f e

b u d d h i s t s y m b o l o g yThe Wheel of Law is present in every Tibetan Sanctuary. It generally has eight spokes and is flanked by two gazelles on the main facade of monasteries. It symbolises above all the doctrine preached by the Buddha and the graceful animals that accompany it represent

The prayer wheel is also known as the chos-kor which means “to turn the doctrine” and re-fers to the first teaching of the Buddha, when he first set the Wheel of Law in motion. From the smallest, to the largest, the prayer wheel always consists of a hollow cylindrical body, usually of metal, engraved with mystic emblems and prayers. Enclosed within the chos-kor are

p r ay e r w h e e l

t h e w h e e l o f l a w

his first two listeners or disciples. The Wheel, or Chakra, is the endless cycle of birth and re-birth or samsara and is the foundation of human existence, it is inseparable from the concept of Karma, the act: every act is the fruit of a pre-vious act, bringing a consequence in its wake.

sacred texts or mantras written on paper or parchment. The cylinder of the wheel is rotated in the same direction as the sun, and each turn is equivalent of a reading of the prayer that is enclosed within. Set in motion the wheel emits a gentle ticking sound in pace with the walk-ers rhythm and the prayers are scattered to the four winds. The portable prayer wheel is fit-

ted with a ball at the end of a small chain fixed midway along the metal body; with a flick of the wrist, the person carrying the wheel sets its twirling rhythm. In the Hima-layan valleys waterfalls and running streams are used to turn the prayer wheels which ceaselessly give voice to pious murmurs.

b u d d h i s t s y m b o l o g yPrayer flags are often mounted in garlands, on roofs or in the case of nomadic shepherds on top of tents. Benefi-cial prayers are printed on small pieces of cloth in five colours - yellow, white, red, green and blue which represent the five elements - earth, water, fire, air and ether. Prayer flags are means of spreading the good word to all be-ings and to attract good luck particularly in warding off disease. The lungta or Wind horse is usually depicted in the centre of the flag which can be inscribed with the name of the person for whom the wind-borne wishes are intended. Near monasteries prayer flags become victory banners mounted on tall poles they mark the loca-tion of sacred caves and the high points in a mountain pass where a traveller may thank the gods for protection.

For home and sanctuary altars alike, The four images that are indispensable in daily buddhist practice are the representation of the Buddha, Avalokiteshvara - the Great Compassionate One, Tara - the incarna-tion of Buddha’s activities, and Achala - the deity who removes obstacles. Offerings are placed be-fore these emblems: food, fruit, flowers and water places in ritual bowls. As modest as they may be, the offerings must be prepared with the greatest possible care, presented with the best intentions.

“ D o n o t p a y t o o m u c h a t t e n t i o n t o e x t e r n a l t h i n g s , t h e a c c e n t m u s t b e p l a c e d o n m o r e i n t e r i o r d e v e l o p m e n t ”

- T h e D a l a i L a m a

t h e a lta r

p r ay e r f l a g s


Music and song play an important role in Buddhist daily life, accompanying work in the fields as well as dance and entertainment in Tibet. Tibetan liturgical music is rich in fascinating sonorities, where unsuspecting echoes can be perceived and it is said to engender awe. In the most rigorous sense of the term, there sonorities were constructed to foster receptiveness to singular vibrations, a door opening onto a reality beyond reality. Many wind instruments are used to lend their support to rituals, the most impressive of which is the radong, a telescopic horn requiring one player and several carriers. This horn, with its extremely low pitched sound, is used to announce the start of ceremonies. It is played in pairs to keep the sound continuous, for the sound to resonate in all its fullness the musicians are usually po-sitioned on the roof. The gylang, similar to the oboe is present in nearly all ceremonies, it provides the high notes of the melody and is often richly ornamented. The large prayer drum is struck to measure the rhythm of the ceremony and is struck with a long curved rod.

Around the year 640, The King of Tibet felt the need to record the teachings which the wandering monks and missionary pil-grims had scattered for some time through the mountains and valleys. He sent a group of trusted young men to study in India to pre-pare for the task of writing the scriptures. Thonmi Sambhota was the only one to return, he had gained sufficient knowledge to con-struct an alphabet inspired by Sankskrit and a grammar inspired by the Tibetan language. Two collections of work, the Tanjur and Kanjur, translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan in the course of six centuries formed the foundation of the Tibetan Buddhist literature. From then on every monastery has had its own library, and many ascetic sages inspired new streams issuing from the same central idea.

m u s i c a l i n s t r u m e n t s t h e s c r i p t u r e


m u d r a s

Mudras meaning “seal” or “sign” which is a means to translate words by different means. In short, the series of visual alphabet that serves to attain the essential beyond speech. They are routinely used in religious ceremonies, the most widespread throughout the Buddhist world is anjali mudra, the hands joined vertically at chest height. The dhyana-mudra is widely known: the hand upon the lap of the meditator, palms upward, fingers extended and thumbs touching at the tips to form a triangle, it is a characteristic of Mudra meditation , of concentration on the Dharma.

t h e k h ata

The khata or sacred scarf is a a sign of simple civility, a gesture of offering, of welcome and of courteous exchange. It is present in all ceremonies large and small, public and pri-vate. It is usually white, sometimes orange or golden yellow. The exchange of the khata is governed by a code. In the higher ranks of the hierarchy, for a Grand Lama, for exam-ple, the scarf is given with the hands joined at the level of the forehead. If the khata is giv-en back, the owner keeps it all the more preciously because is has become more sacred.

r o s a r y


m a n d a l a


b u t t e r l a m p s

b u d d h i s t s y m b o l o g y : c o n c l u s i o n

m e d i tat i o n

p i l g r i m a g e

b u d d h i s t a r c h i t e c t u r eBuddhist Architecture can be broken down into three key spaces: monasteries (viharas), stupas, and temples (Chaitya grihas). Viharas initially were only temporary shelters used by wandering monks during the rainy season, but later were developed to accommodate the growing and increasingly formalised Buddhist monasticism. Buddhist architecture emerged slowly in the period following the Buddha’s life, building on Brahmanist Vedic models, the his-torical predecessor to Hinduisms, but incorpo-rating specifically Buddhist symbols. Brahman-ist temples at this time followed a simple plan – a square inner space, the sacrificial arena, often with a surrounding ambulatory route separated by lines of columns, with a conical or rectangular sloping roof, behind a porch or entrance area, generally framed by freestand-

ing columns or a colonnade. The external pro-file represents Mount Meru, the abode of the gods and centre of the universe. The dimensions and proportions were dictated by sacred math-ematical formulae. This simple plan was adopt-ed by early Buddhists, sometimes adapted with additional cells for monks at the periphery.In essence the basic plan survives to this day in Buddhist temples throughout the world. The profile became elaborated and the characteristic mountain shape seen today in many Hindu temples was used in early Buddhist sites. In others, such as Japan and Thailand, local influences and differing reli-gious practices led to different architecture.Early temples were often timber, and little trace remains, although stone was increasingly used. Cave temples such as those at Ajanta

have survived better and preserve the plan form, porch and interior arrangements from this early period. As the functions of the monastery-temple expanded, the plan form started to diverge from the Brahmanist tradi-tion and became more elaborate, providing sleeping, eating and study accommodation.A characteristic new development at re-ligious sites was the stupa. Stupas were originally more sculpture than building, es-sentially markers of some holy site or com-memorating a holy man who lived there. Later forms are more elaborate and also in many cases refer back to the Mount Meru model.As Buddhism spread, Buddhist architec-ture diverged in style, reflecting the similar trends in Buddhist art and incorporating lo-cal building styles and cultural influences.

Mount Meru

t i b e ta n b o o k o f t h e d e a dIntegrating death with life is an everyday fact for Bud-dhists. One cannot exist without the other, and the car-dinal notion of impermanence and rebirth reveals therein the touchstone of a way of life. Meditation and Monastic practise is in essence centred around death and rebirth. The Bardo Thodol or Tibetan Book of the Dead was writ-ten as a guide to avoid the pitfalls on the narrow path leading from one life to another. The book is read by of-ficiating priests into the ear of the dying person, explaining to him the steps of his travels and enjoining on him to avoid succumbing to fear while passing into unknown realms. It is specifically for the success of this delicate passage that practitioners strive in meditation to chart a map in order to experience their death in full awareness in order to gain a good rebirth, unless they acknowledge the profound and real significance of the Great Light thereby break-ing the circle of reincarnations. The person is then freed from the chains of ignorance and attain Enlightenment.

T h e B a r d o T h ö d o l [ Ti b e t a n B o o k o f t h e D e a d ] b e g a n b y b e i n g a ‘ c l o s e d ’ b o o k , a n d s o i t h a s r e m a i n e d , n o m a t t e r w h a t k i n d o f co m m e n t a r i e s m a y b e w r i t t e n u p o n i t . F o r i t i s a b o o k t h a t w i l l o n l y o p e n i t s e l f t o s p i r i t u a l u n d e r s t a n d i n g , a n d t h i s i s a c a p a c i t y w h i c h n o m a n i s b o r n w i t h , b u t w h i c h h e c a n o n l y a c q u i r e t h r o u g h s p e c i a l t r a i n i n g a n d s p e c i a l e x p e r i e n c e . I t i s g o o d t h a t s u c h t o a l l i n t e n t s a n d p u r p o s e s ‘ u s e l e s s ’ b o o k s e x i s t . T h e y a r e m e a n t f o r t h o s e ‘ q u e e r f o l k ’ w h o n o l o n g e r s e t m u c h s t o r e b y t h e u s e s , a i m s , a n d m e a n i n g o f p r e s e n t - d a y ‘ c i v i l i s a t i o n ”

- C a r l J u n g

b u d d h i s t a r c h i t e c t u r eDespite regional modifications the Stupa and Pagoda are often the focal point within a monastery, befitting its custom-ary role as container of sacred relics.Buddhist architecture with its distinctive wood-en temples and pagodas has become one of the best known subjects of Chinese art, with several motifs, most notably the tiled roofs and elaborate bracketing systems continuing to ap-pear in buildings to the present time. The usual single axis plan followed traditional secular ar-rangements and, like the imperial palaces that inspired it, was oriented to the south. The typical wooden Buddhist hall, a form repeated in Ko-rea and Japan, followed a type of construction well suited to the needs of a temple complex. It could be easily enlarged, and its non-bearing walls and overhanging eaves served to moder-

ate bright sun and heat as well as torrential rains. These temples were raised up on base, usually of brick and faced south while the heavy roof supporters were carried by elaborate systems of bracket-ing. The Chinese bracketing system created a separate visual element, distinct from other structural components, and, at its best, provided an aesthetically intriguing ingredient between the dominant vertical and horizontal orientations of the other principal architectural forms, the roof and the pillar.

1. Chinese Temple roof detail,2. Gojunoto pagoda, Japan

1

2

b u d d h i s t a r c h i t e c t u r e : t h e s t u paThe stupa was derived from hindu burial mounds and was originally designed as a solid monolithic structure. Through history its role has evolved to embody the Bhud-dha’s parinirvana, or final exit from this world.The perfect proportions of the Buddha served as a model for the erection of Stupas, which were built according to strictly defined rules. The main body, the anda, a simple hemispheric

dome representing water set upon a low plat-form representing the earth prolonged by a flight of stairs betokening the steps to enlighten-ment. The enclosing of the central pillar follows the traditional indian custom of surrounding hal-lowed object such as sacred trees and temples. The umbrellas atop the pillar at the heart of the monument represents the ‘world mountain’, or axis mundi, the pivot of the universe. The stone

railings surrounding the Sanchi Stupa in madhaya pradesh were based on wooden prototypes with right angled entrance gates. Four gateways, the toranas, indicated the cardinal directions and, with their crossbars and pillars covered in relief carvings, provided the main instructional areas, to engage visitors with stories and illustrations as they began their worship. Such worship consist-ed of a clockwise circumambulation of the stupa.

Great Stupa. Sanchi, India.

b u d d h i s t a r c h i t e c t u r e : t h e aj a n ta c av e sAjanta Caves in Masharashta, In-dia, are monuments dating from the second century BCE, containing paintings and sculpture considered to be masterpieces of both Bud-dhist religious art and universal pic-torial art. The most complex remains are the Chitya Halls, dominated by large, inflected arch openings and projecting porches with their elab-orate screen walls crowded with buddhas and bodhistattvas. The architectural details typically follow wooden forms, including fluted pil-lars and the large chaitya windows. The majority of Ajanta’s caves are traditional viharas, a combina-tion of residence and lecture hall.

12

1, Chitya Hall, 2, Ajanta Cave complex

b u d d h i s t a r c h i t e c t u r e : b ayo n t e m p l e

At Bayon, the subterranean aspect is represented figuratively by a giant fish, symbol of the depths of the ocean, sculpted along the base. The most impor-tant structure is the central temple, identified with the mystical Mount Meru; it is the largest of five towers and centred on top of series of set back platforms , the levels entered through arched gates. The sur-rounding moat, representing the great ocean, with the enclosing wall beyond as the mythical wall of rock competed the grand cosmological scheme. The sur-rounding galleries, forming a cloister around the tem-ple mountain, also provided locations for images of various deities. These surrounding galleries also con-tributed to the illusion of the vastness of the universe.

The Bayon is a well-known and richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor in Cambodia. Built in the late 12th century or early 13th century as the official state temple of the Mahayana Bud-dhist King Jayavarman VII, the Bayon stands at the centre of Jayavarman’s capital, Angkor Thom.

1, Bayon Temple 2, Subterranean space inside the central temple

1 2

a monument located on the outskirts of Angkor but joined to the main temple through waterways known as Neak Pean is a miniature simplified model of an as-

pect of Buddhist cosmology. At the centre of Neak Pean is a square tank, in the middle of which is a small, circular stone tower on round plinth encircled by two serpents their heads facing east and their tails facing west. This is surrounded by four smaller tanks connected by water spouts which end in the head of a horse

b u d d h i s t a r c h i t e c t u r e : n e a k p e a n

(facing west) and elephant (facing north), a lion (facing south) and a human being (facing east). A priest would have stood on the steps that enter the central pond and poured sacred water into into a spout which then flowed out through the carved heads and down upon a worshipper, who stood below in a small stone cave not visible to the priest. The devotee stood upon a pair of carved stone feet be-neath the head to receive the sanctified and healing waters. Two of the pairs of carved feet remain today, one larger than the other, perhaps indicating male and female sizes.

1, Carved feet to indicate position of worshipper, 2, Neak Pean

1

2

b u d d h i s t a r c h i t e c t u r e : c o n c l u s i o n

c o n t e x t

cramond Island is part of the Dal-meny Estate which comprises a large Gothic revival mansion and sur-rounding wooded park which can be seen from the South Western shore of Cramond Island.

The house is home to the Earl and Countess of Rosebery and today it remains a private house.The River Almond ends its course alongside the Cramond Island causeway. The mouth of the Almond formerly had a ferry service and in 1997 one of the ferrymen discovered the Cramond Lioness, a Roman era sculpture, in the silt of the riverbank. The sculpture is now

held at the Museum Of Scotland in Edinburgh.Cramond Island is not alone in the Forth it is accompanied by ten other islands. The islands that are visible form Cramond Is-land are Inchmickery, Incholm and In-chkeith. Inch is the Gaelic word for island. Inchmikery is Cramonds closest neighbouring island and it traces an interesting line across the horizon, many have likened its silhouette

c o n t e x t

cramond Island is sheltered deep within the Firth, the Estuary of the River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea between fife to

the North, the city of Edinburgh and East and West Lothian to the South. The Island measures one third of a mile in length and covers 7.7 hectares. In geo-graphical definitions Cramond island is in fact not an Island, but a tidal island due to its mile long cause-way connection with the mainland during low tide. Cramond village links to the island via a paved path that is exposed at low tide allowing easy access be-tween island and mainland. On approaching the Island a row of concrete pylons lie on the starboard side of the pathway which were constructed as a submarine defence boom during WWII. The island resides a mile from the shores of Cramond village and at high tide it is completely isolated from the mainland. Cramond village is located in Northwest Edinburgh, just over five miles from the city centre.

c r a m o n d I s l a n d e n c l o s e d b y

t h e f i r t h o f f o r t h

to that of a battleship. Inchmickery is a tiny is-land, only 100 metres by 200 metres. Similarly to Cramond Island it was commandeered by the armed forces and heavily fortified during the sec-ond world war, although the buildings are now uninhabited much of the concrete superstructure remains largely intact and has become and RSPB reserve, housing breeding pairs of common Eider, Sandwich Terns and various species of Gulls.

t h r e s h o l d

on the down-ward approach through narrow winding roads of the village, that anticipat-ed salty smell is quick to be realised and

there is the familiar sound of seagulls over-head. And soon, as rounding a bend, a wall recedes and gives way to the sea. Cramond Island cuts a bold silhouette on the horizon and the large crumbling concrete pylons that mark the causeway rouse a sense of broken significance. Leaving the village behind, pass-ing the warning signs, feet travel over the rough concrete path bordered on either side by a curb of seaweed and oysters. The shells of cracked oysters lie strewn across the path, the discarded remains of a seagulls’ lunch.

walking to the rhythm of the concrete pylons the island grows larger on the horizon. The concrete pylons ap-

pear as some ancient megalithic monument to the celestial bodies - the creatures of the sea cling to the stained concrete, they no longer belong to mankind, they belong to the sea.

the Causeway beaches just short of the Knoll, a gaelic term for hill. Perched precariously atop the knoll is

the first enclosure on the island ,previously the emplacement of a 75mm gun that was used to safeguard Cramond village from tank invasion at low tide. The jagged basalt rocks arrest the linear journey across the causeway forcing the visitor around the knoll to the rear of the en-closure where a slightly shallower path is found. From this first enclosure there are well trodden footpaths which lead around the shoreline as well as a central track that leads to the old farmstead in the heart of the island. None of the pathways are marked or paved but are

merely desire lines that have been carved into the earth by the passing of many feet through the years. These pathways are overgrown with shrubbery and reeds limiting access around the island only to those who are able bodied. The central track is the fastest route to the re-maining buildings, over the peak of the island through its heart to the northern shore. The first generator room appears on the cusp of a hill overlooking Partin Rock to the east. This is the largest of the concrete enclosures on the is-land and it sets the tone for what is to come for the remaining structures. The feeling of aban-donment is overriding and it infiltrates the sub-terranean with small port holes cut into the soil revealing bunkers that have been reclaimed by the natural world. Upon the pinnacle of this small hill the wind is cutting and the dark shelter of the generator room is welcoming.

continuing downhill, gaze averted away from the cliff edge, the track winds its way down to the remaining structures.

Just as the generator room on the hill these structures are uniform, their military relevance is removed only by the absence of soldiers to op-erate within them. The structures are littered across the north east shore, three dispersed beam emplacements facing out towards the north sea, a Twin Six-Pounder gun emplace-ment that points into the gulf between the ma-rine defence boom and the mainland, and a large generator room and a small store room.

standard mili-tary apertures and doors give the facades of the structures

a simplistic beauty in their synthesis of asym-metric and symmetric rhythm. The structures are completely void of decoration; every wall and opening was built through necessity and practi-cal functionality. Each structure persist as squat concrete scars on the earth stubbornly presid-ing over the strong winds and swollen seas.

t r a n s p o r t l i n k s

road and Rail links in and around Edinburgh are extensive allowing for ease of national travel. Ap-

proaching Cramond Village by car the roads become increasingly smaller and quieter and are such that there is never large vol-umes of traffic in and around the village. Edinburgh Airport is a mere three miles from Cramond village making inter-national connections extremely viable.

samye Lings Buddhist Mon-astery an Important sis-ter institution of Dharma

Retreat is two hours drive by car or can be reached via train to Lockerbie and a local bus.

t r a n s p o r t l i n k s

cramond Village is just over five miles from the centre of Edinburgh and it is possi-ble to travel between Cramond village

and the city centre using the Lothian Bus number 41 from Cramond place every ten minutes.

there is a large free car park situ-ated just behind the Cramond prom-enade less than 100 metres from

the Cramond Island causeway The car park is shared by local businesses in Cramond vil-lage and therefore vehicles cannot be left for prolonged periods of time . It is more likely therefore that those who wish to stay longer on the island would have to use public transport .

access to Cramond Island is currently solely reliant on

the tide. Although there is no longer a pier on Cra-mond Island it would certain-ly be possible to access the island by boat or hovercraft. The main access route to the island is over the paved causeway that is exposed only at low tide. The cause-way is approximately two metres in width and a mile in length and would be sufficient for the passage of a wheelchair or pram.

Causeway

Mean high spring tide

Mean low spring tide

River Almond

c o n n e c t i v i t y

n

ew

s

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuwxyzc o n n e c t i v i t y

me a n low spring

tide: the sea recedes to just above the North of the island. There are two high tides

and low tides per day and there is a time dif-ference of approximately twelve hours and twenty five minutes between the two high tides. Safe cross is from up to two hours before and after low tide, creating a four hour window twice daily. The moons poetic influence over the site is heightened due to

many Buddhist Rituals and celebrations taking place on full or half moons for example

Budda’s birthday is celebrated on the first full moon in May.

me a n high spring

tide: the causeway is completely sub-merged with only the very top of the concrete

submarine defence boom above sea level. Spring tide refers to extreme highs and lows of tide that oc-

cur when the moon and sun are aligned during a new and full moon creating a greater cumulative gravita-tional force on the earth. Neap Tide refers to the stand-ard tide during the moon’s quarter phases. Spring tides are an average 20% higher/lower than neap

tides. Access to the island by foot is greatly restricted by the tide necessitating an al-

ternative means to access the island.

t h e m o o n ,

l i k e a f l o w e r

I n h e av e n ’ s h i g h b o w e r ,

w i t h s i l e n t d e l i g h t

s i t s a n d s m i l e s o n

t h e n i g h t .

- b l a k e

v i e w s t o t h e s i t e

from Forth bridge from Cramond Village from Silverknowes Golf Course

due to Cramond Island’s low lying posi-tion within the Firth of Forth it can be viewed on a clear day from a substan-

tial distance from a number of Edinburgh’s many hills including Corstorphine Hill, four miles from Cramond island. It is likely that Cramond can be seen from the northern shores of the Firth of Forth in Leith however it’s view may be blocked from some angles by Inchmickery and other is-

lands in proximity to Camond. Cramonds ‘s pres-ence on the Edinburgh horizon should be taken into consideration when designing the Dharma Retreat and either maximise or minimise the impact of the interventions wherever appropriate. It would be interesting to utilise Cramond’s visibilty through the use of a Beacon or Stupa that may be seen for miles around and aid in the navigation of a pilgrimaging monk or retreatant over land or sea.

n

ew

s

North Sea

Leith

Edinburgh city and the faint out-line of Arthur’s Seat (250m) the main peak of Holyrood Park hills.

Cramond village from WWII light em-placement on the southern tip of the island

Silverknowes from inside WWII light emplacement

view of causeway from WWII 75mm gun emplacement

view of gun emplacement and bat-tery on the southern tip of the is-land from the apex of the island.

Cramond shore line and Dalmeny Estate

Forth bridge

n

ew

s

Inchmickery;heavily for-tified in WWII is now an RSPB Reserve

Cow & Calves rock and Oxcars lighthouse

Queensferry

v i e w s f r o m t h e s i t e

l a n d s c a p e a n d g e o l o g yRaised Beach deposits

Sandstone

Quartz Dolerite sills and dykes

Blown sand

Other igneous rock: basalts, dolerites, trachytes

International landscape designations (Special Area of Conservation)

l a n d s c a p e a n d g e o l o g y

d e f i n i n g c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s

the concrete submarine de-fence boom that lines the causeway is the island’s most unique characteristic. There is something poetic about their

crumbling and forsaken existence, particularly as the tide turns and swallows them until only their heads tiptoe above the water. The y are rapidly detroriating due to the constant action of the sea, remains of the concrete shutters are still jammed between some of the pylons near to the mainland. The steel eye-lets still remain on top of most of the pylons, but they are bursting the concrete structures due to rust. The structures will not survive without intervention and therefore some measure of conservation will be implied within the design to ensure that their iconic pres-ence remains on the Cramond shoreline

s u n pat h a n d a n g l e

s u n pat h a n d a n g l e

w i n d d i r e c t i o n a n d c l i m at e

the weather in the Firth of Forth is changeable and it is common for a

single day to cross through a number of cli-matic conditions from placid seas and sun-shine through to gale force winds and water spouts. If the design is to embrace it’s dy-namic setting within the Firth of Forth then the design will have to fully integrate effect systems of opening up and battening down. rainfall: Much of Eastern Scotland is shel-

tered from the rain-bearing westerly winds. This shelter reaches its greatest potential along the coasts of East Lothian, Fife and the Moray Firth and these areas receive less than 700 mm of rainfall in an average year.sunshine: Eastern Scotland includes the sunniest places in Scotland, these being on the coast of Fife and East Lothian where the average is about 1500 hours per year.

snowfall: On average, the number of days with snow falling is about 20 per win-ter along the coast of Eastern Scotland.wind: The Prevailing wind comes from the South West and Cramond island lies exposed to these within the Firth of Forth. Eastern Scotland is one of the more windy parts of the UK, being relatively close to the track of Atlantic depres-sions. The strongest winds are associated with the passage of deep areas of low pressure close to or across the UK. The frequency and strength of these depressions is greatest in the winter half of the year, especially from Decem-ber to February, and this is when mean speeds and gusts (short duration peak values) are high.

c r a m o n d t h r o u g h t h e s e a s o n s

e n v i r o n m e n ta l p o l l u t i o n

noise: The proximity of Ed-inburgh Airport is the main source of noise pollution. Cramond Island lies due West of the main flight path

that accommodates a large volume of flights both day and night. The nature of the existing WWII fortifications are such that they lend them-selves well to sound insulation due to their deep concrete walls and ceilings that were constructed to withstand heavy enemy attack from all angles. Any new interventions will have to respond to the visual and sound pollution caused by the airport.The faint sound of trains and traffic crossing the Forth bridge can sometimes be heard in the far distance however this is mostly masked by the sea-side sounds that pervade the site from seagulls to ground Conditions: The Island as mentioned in the site analysis is largely made up of basalt. The basalt is evident with large sections protruding

through the earth. The previous existence of a basalt quarry on the island could have implications on the materiality within the design intent.

the gentle lapping of the tide against the shore.Inchmickery an RSPB Reserve is Cramond’s clos-est neighbour encouraging rare breeds of birds into the Firth of Forth including shag, eider and fulmar and a small population of puffins. This combination of natural and man made noise makes a very interesting and diverse sound-scape across Cramond Island which will greatly aid those who practice sound meditation.

air Conditions: The prevailing wind passes through the city of Edinburgh before reach-ing the island. The main city pollutants are

from vehicles, accounting for the largest share by far. It has been estimated that road vehicles account for over 80% of the NO2 emissions in Edinburgh. How-ever the air at Cramond island has a certain qual-ity to it that is typically associated with the seaside, it feels fresh and leaves a salty taste in the mouth.

e n v i r o n m e n ta l s t r at e g y : z e r o c a r b o n

p a s s i v e d e s i g n

solar: harnessing the sun’s energy through direct and indirect so-lar gain. Apertures will be placed strategically to allow light in at certain times of the day warming the space and heating the original concrete elements with a high inherent thermal mass which will then release heat as the spaces cool

utilising the site’s environmental assets by tapping into Wind/Wave power to generate electricity for appliances and heat/light during the night/winter

water : As an island, the site is by no means short of water. Water will be an inherent part of the scheme due to it’s spiritual and ethereal qualities but it can also be used to moderate temperature conditions within spaces. Roof ponds can be utilised to heat spaces and air can be passed over water to cool spaces.

e n v i r o n m e n ta l s t r at e g y : z e r o c a r b o n

1 Every building/enclosure will be utilised within the design. Where the building itself cannot

be used its materials will be recycled and reappropriated within the scheme.

2The design will incorporate sim-ple common sense means of dealing with waste and recycling

from designated compost sites through to collecting and reusing grey water

e n v i r o n m e n ta l s t r at e g y : z e r o w a s t e

e n v i r o n m e n ta l s t r at e g y : s u s ta i n a b l e t r a n s p o r t

pi l g r i m a g e : a j o u r n e y m a d e o n f o o t

The island lends itself well to sustain-able transport. There will be no car park. The majority of people will ar-rive on foot. Those who arrive over sea should use catamarans, rowing or peddle boats. Building material not sourced from the island can be trans-ported using wind/man powered boats.

e n v i r o n m e n ta l s t r at e g y : l o c a l + s u s ta i n a b l e m at e r i a ls

The tree population on the island is not sufficient to provide building material therefore locally sourced timbers from sustainably managed forests will be used as the main con-struction material within the scheme. Because of the carbon sink effect of the forests, wood from sustainably managed forests can actually be better than carbon neutral.

Wood has the best thermal in-sulation properties of any main-stream construction material•5timesbetterthanconcrete•10timesbetterthanbrick•350timesbetterthansteel Wood has the lowest embodied en-

ergy of any mainstream building materialA tonne of brick requires four times the amount of energy to produce sawn soft-wood, concrete five times, glass six times, steel 24 times and aluminium 126 times.f a c t s

e n v i r o n m e n ta l s t r at e g y : p e r m a c u lt u r e

The monastic community on the island will be completely self sufficient from harness-ing the wind to generate energy to power kitchen appliances through to desalinat-ing water for drinking and irrigating crops. Within the heart of the island among the ruins of the old farmstead the land will be tilled and sown to provide food for the community and it’s visitors. The Buddhist vegetarian diet will greatly decrease the carbon foot print of the entire community. Buddhist’s never harm any other living creatures and instead encourage the presence of animals within their communities

“The great and universa l wi sdom t rad i t ion of mank ind goes down to the very ro ots , the very breath and rhythm of li fe . I t i s the me ek that will inher i t the ear th because they a lone are willing to li ve in contact wi th i t . ”

s i t e h i s t o r y

cramond has a rich history which dates back as far 8500 BC making it the earliest known site of human settlement in Scotland. The Mesolithic in-habitants were hunter-gathers who moved their territories

according to the season of the year. Although no bones survived the acid soil, waste pits and

stakeholes that would have supported shelters or windbreaks were excavated along with microlith stone tools and discarded hazelnut shells which were used to carbon-date the site.Although the Roman Empire never managed to get a firm grasp on Scotland, their presence in Cramond and the Firth of Forth is surpris-ingly prevalent. The earliest known evidence of human activity was discovered by the army

during its occupation of the Island in the second World War. A long Cist burial was uncovered in 1941 while the military installations were being con-structed. Since there were more pressing commit-ments at the time, this discovery was not recorded. It was not reported until 1957 by which time the actual location had been forgotten, apart from it being on the western side of the island and at-tempts to relocate it have yet been unsuccessful.

THE DUCK HOUSE

THE OLD QUARRY

THE OLD FARM

WATER FROM THE ISLAND’S WELL

TENNIS COURT

TRAVEL TO THE ISLAND BY HORSE AND TRAP

BATHING

PETER HOGG HARVERSTING OATS 1893

THE FARM 1893 SWIMMING

FISHING

SHOOTING PARTIES 1890

DONKEY RIDES

s i t e h i s t o r y : f a r m a n d h o l i d ay r e s o r t

1908 THE DUCK HOUSE

1908 THE OLD FARM

s i t e h i s t o r y : t h e w a r s

1898 Pre-War Map

1940 Proposed WWII em-placements

WWII Railway constructed connecting island to mainland

WWI timber jetty in-stalled to enable boats to deliver supplies to island

THE GUNS

TWIN SIX POUNDER

1914 WW1

THE MESS

Located in a peaceful valley on the banks of the river Esk in Scotland, Kagyu Samye Ling was the first Tibetan Buddhist Centre to have been es-tablished in the West. It is a centre for wisdom and learning within the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and is open to people of all faiths and none. Founded in 1967 and currently under the guidance of Abbot Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche, Samye Ling is part of Rokpa Trust, a registered charity which has three main areas of activity: spiritual, humanitarian aid, and Tibetan medicine and therapy. Our activity extends around the world through an international net-work of Dharma centres. Samye Ling is home to a residential community of over 60 people, made up of both monastic and lay volunteers.

k a g y u s a m y e l i n g : l o c at i o n

k a g y u s a m y e l i n g : g e n u s l o c i

from the winding country roads through a clearing in the trees, a golden stupa

glistens in the late afternoon sun. It is truly a remarkable and unexpected site to be-hold among the rolling Scottish hills. Pulling off the road through the reams of coloured flags we pass under an ornately deco-rated gate that marks the entrance into the community. A muddy track leads to a small carpark, we alight onto the frosty snow dappled ground. The cool air eases our tired bodies from the long car journey.

silence is expected, instead bird-song encompasses the site along

with the gentle gurgle of the river Esk. We ramble through the barrage of timber huts and extensive gardens, we have no idea where we are going, but there is an overrid-

ing sense of calm that seems to permeate the ground that we tread. We pass a gargantuan peacock perched god like on rusted scaffold frame. A small painted timber sign points us in the direction of the temple up a number of steps flanked on both sides by towering brick walls. The multicoloured eaves draw our eyes up to the apex of the roof line that sweeps down over the temple like protective wings. We remove our shoes and follow the carpeted path to a set of large richly decorated doors.

discordant chanting fills our ears, mingled voices and unrecognisable dialect ema-

nate from saffron cloaked monks before us. The temple exudes warmth, everything is the richest of red and gold and blue and green. We are fixated on the alter and its dazzling array of 1000 golden Buddha’s. The chant-

ing subsides with a bang of the gong and soon we are back in the crisp january air strolling through little contained wilderness’ that can be found all around the site. We gaze at the reflections of the Buddha that smiles at us from a pond choked with weeds.

prayer flags hang, waiting for a dry day to blow their blessings into the

wind, and we take with us a feeling that nothing is perfect and that everything is ok.

Please refer to Film 001 on DVD

k a g y u s a m y e l i n g : s e q u e n c e o f a c c o m m o d at i o n

Shop & Tibetan Tea roomNew-build guest accommodation

Mahakala House

TEMPLE

Monks’ residences and guest accomodation

Victory Stupa & Prayer wheel House

Nagarjuna Statue in PondSamye Liberation Gate

Butterlamp House and The Eight Stupas

Guru Rinpoche in Pond

Cloutie Tree

Nyung-Nye Shrine

The Naga House

Green Tara Statue and Garden

Dining Room

k a g y u s a m y e l i n g : s e q u e n c e o f a c c o m m o d at i o nThe gate is modelled on the traditional entrance gate found in monasteries in Tibet. The construction of the gate is similar in design to that of the immeasurable palace found within a peace mandala. The mandala itself is painted on the ceiling. On top of the copper roof of the gate with its jewel adorn-ments is a Dharma wheel flanked by two deer. The wheel represents the First turning of the wheel of Dharma - the Buddha’s first teaching of the Four Noble Truths. He gave this teaching at Deer Park in Sarnath, India, as he began this teaching, two deer appeared from the forest and sat down next to him. Consequently, the wheel with two deer on either side has become symbolic of the Buddha’s teaching.Next to the gate are two white urns where special fires are lit to make wel-coming aromatic smoke to honour senior lamas as they arrive at Samye Ling.l i b e r at i o n g at e

Within the Peace Garden there is a Cloutie tree with colourful cloths tied to its branch-es. It is both a Scottish and Tibetan custom to make a wish and then tie a coloured rib-bon to the tree. As the cloth fades the wish is carried off by the elements and hope-fully one day comes true. People are welcome to take a coloured ribbon from the black container beneath the tree, make a small donation in the box and then tie a ribbon to the tree. c l o u t i e t r e e


In Tibet butterlamps were originally fuelled by clarified yak butter and the act of using such an ordinary, everyday substance to provide illumination was seen as symbolic of transforming our ordinary, everyday mind into a mind capable of the wisdom and compassion of enlighten-ment. These days candles are used instead of yak butter, but the symbolism remains the same.The Samye Ling Butterlamp house was consecrated on New Year’s Eve 1999 and dedicat-ed to fostering peace throughout the world. The construction is made up of stone, timber and glass. The structure is small and modest with the beautiful copper roof as the only decorative element. The front facade is mainly glazed so that when the candles are lit in the evening their light fills the landscape. The copper roof detailing is effective at reflecting the candlelight .

b u t t e r l a m p -h o u s e .

t h e r a d i a n t r a y s o f t h i s l i g h t f i l l a l l q u a r t e r s o f s p a c e .m a y t h e m e r i t o f t h i s l i g h t b r i n g h a p p i n e s s t o a l l b e i n g s .t h e n a t u r e o f t h i s l i g h t i s t h e v e r y n a t u r e o f a l l t h i n g s .

LOTUS BLOSSOM STUPA OF THE BUDDHA’S BIRTH

THE ENLIGHTENMENT STUPA

THE STUPA OF TURNING THE WHEEL OF DHARMA

THE GREAT MIRACLE STUPA

THE STUPA OF THE DESCENT FROM TUSHITA HEAVEN

THE PARINIRVANA STUPA

THE STUPA OF RE-UNIT-ING THE SANGHA

THE ALL-VICTORIOUS STUPA


t h e e i g h t s t u pa s

These stupas line both sides of the entrance to Samye Ling next to the Butterlamp House. When the Buddha died and passed into parinirvana (final liberation), his disciples cre-mated his body and interred his ashes in eight stupas, which were erected in different auspicious locations. Each stupa represent an important event in the life of the Buddha.


t h e v i c t o r y s t u pa

The Victory Stupa is unique; its shrine is dedicated to honouring people who have died and preserving their ashes. When people die, their coffin is placed inside the shrine with their head resting just above the mandala of the five elements. On the ceiling over the coffin is the purification mandala of Dorje Sempa. Monks, nuns and lay practitioners say prayers continuously for three days and nights, invoking the blessing of Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Com-passion, and entrusting the mind of the deceased person to Amitabha, the Buddha of Boundless Light, praying that their mind takes birth in Dewachen, Amitabha’s Pure Land of Great Bliss. After the period of three days is up, the deceased person’s body is cremated and their ashes are placed inside the cupboards that surround the shrine. Then once a year there is a special cer-emony conducted by a high lama in which the ashes are blessed and prayers are said for all those who have died. The Stupa is anatomically divided to rep-resent the five elements and their embodied wisdom. Decommissioned guns and knives given up in amnesty are imbedded within the structure as means of atonement and rebirth, even those things that were created to detroy can be reappropriated and reused to create good, this seemed very appropriate to my own scheme which deals with the remodelling of WWII emplacements.

Mahakala House is stone building to the rear of the Temple that houses a special protector shrine. Prayers are re-cited there continuously to ward off and transform obstacles to the practice of the Buddhist teachings. Similar protec-tor shrines are found in Tibet alongside great temples. A nun is currently in per-manent retreat within Mahakala House.


m a h a k a l a h o u s e

p r ay e r w h e e l h o u s e

As people walk around the Stupa clock-wise reciting prayers, their path takes them through the Prayer Wheel House, where they turn the prayer wheels as they go. The prayer wheels contain mil-lions of mantras for peace and compas-sion which have been inscribed on pa-per soaked in saffron water and blessed in a special way. As one turns the prayer wheel clockwise it activates the blessing of the mantras, transmitting the energy of peace and compassion in all directions.The prayer wheels are at the front of the timber structure and are pro-tected from the elements by glazing, the rear internal elevation contains drawers where the ashes and mo-mentos of the deceased are kept.


The Tara Healing Garden is dedicated to the 21 emanations of Tara and preserve and propagate medicinal herbs native to Tibet that can be cultivated in the climate of the Scottish Borders. Each of the 21 emanations of Tara has the power and the qualities to overcome 21 different kinds of physical and mental disease. Therefore 21 different herbs connected with these different aspects will be planted in separate petal shaped beds around the central statue of Tara. The garden is 40 yards in diameter and is designed as a twenty one petalled lotus each petal consisting of a raised bed built in stone with broad paths radiating from the central statue in each of the four directions. Each lotus petal is planted with medicinal herbs whose col-our corresponds to the mandala of Green Tara and the remaining meadow planted with trees, shrubs and an orchard of native fruit trees.

g r e e n ta r a g a r d e n a n d s tat u e

k a g y u s a m y e l i n g : s e q u e n c e o f a c c o m m o d at i o nIn the pond next to the Stupa is the statue of Guru Rinpoche (also known as Padmasamb-hava) seated on a lotus flower. Revered as the founder of Buddhism in Tibet, he brought the Buddhist teachings from India to Tibet in the eighth century. Lotus flowers provide one of the most enduring symbols of Buddhism. The flower grows out of the mud at the bottom of a lake, but then rises above the water and blooms into a beautiful flower which is untainted by the mud. This has become symbolic of how enlight-ened awareness emerges from the confusion of our minds blossoming into the full expression of wisdom and compassion. Consequently, it is fitting that legend depicts Guru Rinpoche as having been born in a lotus flower in a lake.

g u r u r i n p o c h e

n a g a h o u s eThis stone structure in the River Esk is embed-ded with semi-precious stones and was built as an offering to the nagas or water spirits who dwell at the junction between the two rivers. Making offerings to nagas is a way of bringing environmental forces into balance. The point where the two rivers meet is directly opposite the doors of the temple and is very powerful in terms of geomancy. The Naga House also serves a function in balancing the powerful energies emanating from this point.


The traditionally decorated Tibetan Tea Rooms has a warm and inviting atmosphere. The Tea Rooms provides a comfortable place to relax for the monks, lay volunteers and visitors. It is open daily from 9am to 5pm and also from 8pm until 10pm on the weekends serving a wide range of beverages and snacks.

The Shop has an extensive range of books, texts and ritual objects. The statues are particularly fine and are directly imported from shops and workshops in Nepal. Also available are gifts and crafts sold on behalf of Rokpa charities. The shop is open daily from 9am to 5pm, closing for lunch between 12.30 and 1.30pm.

s h o pt i b e ta n t e a r o o m s

k a g y u s a m y e l i n g : t e m p l e

The second floor of the temple is not open to the public, it hous-es a shrine to the Medicine Buddha. On a monthly basis (8th day of the Tibetan calendar) Prayers are said to the medicine Buddha.

The first floor is sometimes opened to the public, it con-tains a shrine and private accommodation for visiting high Lamas

The ground floor contains the main shrine which is divided into three sections, the front section hosting the shrine itself and the two other sections being used for weekend workshops. On big occasions the whole shrine is opened up and the dividing partitions are removed.

The Temple is the centrepiece of spiritual life at Samye Ling. Completed in 1988 after ten years of devoted labour by volunteers under the direction of Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche and mas-ter artist, Sherab Palden Beru, the temple hosts a daily programme of meditation and prayers. Visitors are welcome to inside the temple throughout the day from 6am until 10pm.

c h u r c h o f s t p i e r r e , l e c o r b u s i e rChurch of St Pierre is the Legacy of Le Corbusi-er, it was his last project and one that he never saw to completion due to his death in 1965. The building site lay abandoned for years until the site was declared a historical monument in 1996 and the decision was then taken a dec-ade later to complete the project under the supervision of Jose Oubrerie a protégé of Le Corbusier. The geometry of St Pierre is pro-

duced by the projection of a square onto a cir-cle which can be interpreted as an architectural transition from the earthly to the spiritual realm. Its unusual hyperboloid form cuts a distinct sil-houette on the Firminy skyline. The shell, made from self-compacting concrete, houses the nave. It is orientated to the east of the constellation of Orion. The system for rainwater recovery works all the way around the building. It covers horizon-

tal loopholes which follow the spiral movement of the sun to the interior of the nave. The 3 light cannons, fitted on the top and on the west facade illuminate the sanctuary space. The sweeping solid timber pews and integrated concrete lectern add a sense of completeness and refinement that is distinctly Le Corbusier. The punctured east facade embodies the con-stellation of Orion and creates an ethereal

atmosphere that is synonymous with spirituality. The completion of the building in 2006 was funded by the french government, as a secu-lar state this prevents public money from being used to invest in religious buildings, therefore Church of St Pierre has never per-formed in its intended spiritual role. Instead it has been used as a school, a shelter and is currently being used as a cultural venue.

w at e r t e m p l e , ta d a o a n d oon a hill on Awaji Island, which affords a sweeping view of Osaka Bay, is the location for Hompukuji, the Water Temple, the main tem-ple for the Shingon Buddhist sect. The temple hall is placed below ground, beneath a large oval pond filled with large green lotus plants. The hall is entered by means of a descending staircase, which divides the pond, appearing to draw visitors underwater. The hall is com-

posed of a round room, gridded with timber pillars, which is contained within a square enclo-sure. The interior of the hall and its pillars are stained vermilion; this traditional Buddhist colour becomes intense at sunset when the reddish glow of twilight suffuses the space casting long shadows from the pillars deep inside the sub-terranean space. The large external sail like concrete walls force the visitor to circumabu-

late the site in order to gain entrance linking to the circular movement that occurs around a stupa. The lotus is an iconic symbol within Buddhism and is therefore employed well to define entrance to the temple. The rich vermilion gridded timber panels are playful with light that enters the subterranean space casting latticed patterns that dapple the lac-quered timber floors. The use of Buddhist ico-

nography is minimal and its necessity is replaced by the use of colour that creates an ambience that is conducive to meditative visualisation.

drawing here

l a t o u r e t t e , l e c o r b u s i e r

“ to g ive the monks what men today ne ed most : s ilence and peace . . . Thi s Monastery does not show off ; i t i s on the ins ide that i t li ves . ”

- Le Corbus ier

l a t o u r e t t e , l e c o r b u s i e r

La Tourette is a Domincan Order Priory near Lyon, France. It was one of Corbusier’s last build-ings, constructed from 1956-1960. The building stands on the edge of a forest and the site is encompassed by countryside. The whole Mon-astery is set on a steeply sloping bank within its grounds, on a spot chosen by Le Corbusier. Each of the hundred cells has an outward-facing balcony, with the communal areas beneath, and the cloister, unconventionally, running around the roof. The accommodation comprises 100 individual ‘cells’, communal library, classrooms and refectory, a rooftop cloister and church. In the church itself, a tall, plain, concrete box is given spiritual life through selective and care-ful use of natural light and subtly strong colour. Daylight is admitted through five different types of opening around the church, several of them

sculpted outside, creating distinctive light cannons. Strong but deep colours within some of the openings give the church a warm and moving glow. Much of the atmosphere of the building, inside even more than out, comes from the carefully proportioned floor-to-ceiling glazing used in many of the public areas - the Chapter room and refectory with their com-manding west-facing views over the valley, the library, and approach to the church. The unevenly-spaced ondulatoires (the vertical concrete mullions) and the similarly uneven horizontal divisions between them were designed according to Le Corbusier’s Modulor system of proportions by Yannis Xenakis, a musician as well as an architect, applying musical prin-ciples of harmony and rhythm The use of music to inform the architectural layout is fascinating and could be applied to Dharma Retreat due to the fundamental element of chanting and the use of musical instruments within most ceremonies.

u n e s c o m e d i tat i o n s pa c e , ta d a o a n d o

This small meditation space was built along-side the UNESCO headquaters in Paris. The space is intended to be a place of prayer for eternal, global peace for all peoples of the world, transcending their religious, ethnic, cul-tural and historical differences and conflicts.

The meditation space is a single storey, rein-forced concrete structure, 6.5 metres in height. The floating concrete ceiling eclipses light into the space creating a serene solemn atmos-phere that suits the contemplative nature of the site. The exit and entrance are defined by

c h u r c h o n w at e r , ta d a o a n d o

Located on a plain in the depths of the prov-ince of Hokkaido, this church has a shallow artificial lake, created by the diversion of a nearby stream. A freestanding, L-shaped wall extends along one side of the lake and wraps around the back of the church. A gentle slope

overlooking the lake ascends the alongside the wall leading to the top of a smaller volume where, within a glass-enclosed space open to the sky, four large crosses are arranged in square formation. From this point the visitor descends a dark stairway to emerge into the

ramps that double back on themselves allowing the user a view of their journey passed. With the cooperation of the city of Hiroshima, granite which was exposed to radiation from the atomic bomb is used to floor the base of the artificial pond to symbolize the quest for eternal peace on earth

rear of the chapel. The wall behind the altar is fully glazed, providing a panorama of the lake, in which the large crucifix is seen rising from the surface of the water. This wall can be slid en-tirely to one side , directly opening the interior of the church up to the natural surroundings.

k a s t r u p s e a b at h , w h i t e a r k i t e k t e rLocated on the Øresund coast in Denmark, Kastrup Sea Bath reaches out into the ocean on slender legs about a meter above the water with their load baring constructions exposed. The wooden pier leads the visitor round to a circular construction, gradually elevating above the sea surface, and ending in a 5m diving plat-form. The Bath is conceived as a sculptural dy-

namic form, which can be seen from the beach, the sea and the air. It’s silhouette gradually changes as the beholder moves around it. The circular shape creates a concentrated interior, shelter from the winds, and concentrating the sun. The shape opens up towards the landside to connect to the beach and to invite visitors inside. A continuous bench runs along the pier, thus

creating an additional rest and leisure area.An important part of the concept for the Sea Bath is that it is free admission and open to the public at all times. The bath is designed to be a rather untraditional framework for ex-ercising sports activities. There is room for a peaceful evening swim as well as exercise and playfulness. Ramps, and other special features

and facilities allow the less mobile members of the population full access to the sight. Azobe timber was chosen as the main construction material due to its durability in sea water . The playfulness that underpins the design is something to consider in relation to my own site. The seascape interven-tion encourages the user to engage with their en-vironment in a way that they would not normally.

r o t h k o c h a p e l , p h i l i p j o h n s o n + m a r k r o t h k o

the setting of this unique chapel is within subur-ban Houston in the state of Texas. As an institu-tion, the Rothko Chapel functions as a chapel, a museum and a forum. It

is a place where religion, art and architecture intermingle. The building is the legacy of Mark Rothko who was commissioned by Dominique and John de Menil to create a meditative space and to shape and control a total environ-ment to encompass a group of fourteen paint-ings. Rothko worked closely with the original architect Philip Johnson on the plans, then with Howard Barnstone and Eugene Aubry who completed the building. Rothko did not live to see the chapel’s completion in 1971 due to his

long struggle with depression culminating in his suicide in 1970. The plan is a simple octago-nal shape that encompasses the visitor with Rothko’s fourteen black paintings. Natural light enters the space from a single skylight and is ab-sorbed by the heavy stone floor and the dark canvasses creating a very sombre ambience. The blank exterior brick walls are unbroken by

apertures or openings and there is a single ex-trusion to the north elevation that forms the entrance. Barnett Newman’s sculpture “The Broken Obelisk” and the chapel itself cast long abstract reflections into the artificial pond that faces the chapel. For the last 38 years, the Chapel has provided diverse programs to engage audiences intellectually, artistically,

and spiritually. The Rothko Chapel is a sanctuary for all and is respectful of the integrity of each religion or denomination. Those who are not af-filiated with any particular religious institution, find the Chapel appropriate for memorial services for their loved ones or for wedding ceremonies. The Dalai Lama visited the Rothko chapel in 1991 to deliver a special prayer for World Peace.

dharma retreat

Documents

e e t s t h e n o r

e r f o r t h

o n d i s

n db r i e fs c h e

prayer space

bespoke space

dharma retreat

cramond island