Meditation Spaces
How might we create spaces that elevate our consciousness?
Spirit Rock Main Hall Oculus // Source: Hart Howerton
Tasks
Research, Design and Illustrations, Book Layout and Design, Photography
Client
Hart Howerton Fellowship
Year
2016
Role
Author
Mental Health & Wellness
A quarter of Americans suffer from mental illness in a given year. As a Hart Howerton’s Fellow, I studied meditation spaces across the US to better understand how our built environment can alleviate mental health and elevate our consciousness. I travelled to meditation centers and temples, took photos and created drawings and ultimately wrote a book summarizing my findings.
Tassajara Zendo Illustration // In deep meditation periods, the zendo is where monks eat, sleep and meditate
Mockup showing book layout and details. More can be found here.
Pattern Language
Surprisingly, I learned that many meditation centers shared a common design language. Inspired by Christopher Alexander’s Pattern Language, I distilled my learnings into twenty key design patterns. A few examples include:
use height as a seclusion tool, create moments of prospect, especially in entrances spaces
Use paths, topological changes, foliage and buildings to create hidden nooks
design softer edges for comfort, hard edges for force