Buddhist Retreat Centre

Set in a rural area of natural beauty, Vajrasana Buddhist Retreat Centre is sensitive to its surroundings and, as such, the design follows the Buddhist principle of “doing the least harm”, by minimising the impact on the environment, and building on the footprint of existing outbuildings.

During the 14 months on site Walters & Cohen refreshed the original 1900s farmhouse as the main staff headquarters, and replaced redundant barns and sheds with residential, meditation and communal accommodation, linked by landscaped courtyard and walkways.

The past and the present are captured in the collection of buildings on the site, with Victorian tiles and parquet flooring unearthed in the original farmhouse, and simple materials such as plywood and painted blockwork used by the architects to create bedroom “pods” and communal living and dining areas arranged around a community courtyard.

The bedrooms are furnished with simple timber bed frames and plywood ceilings; the pitched roofs provide a sense of space and light. Crisply detailed walkways contain the Sangha courtyard, from which guests catch a glimpse of the tranquil courtyards through perforated brick walls that separate the communal from the ceremonial.

Vajrasana Buddhist Retreat Centre, Suffolk
Program: mixed-use
Architects: Walters & Cohen Architects
Completion: 2016