The Cittaviveka Buddhist monastery, first established in 1979, supports a resident community of monks and nuns in a quiet rural environment within the South Downs National Park. Flint Construction won the tender to construct a new building to provide a meeting room and quiet ‘refuge space’ together with ablution and laundry facilities to support the living requirements of the monks.

Sits harmoniously amongst the trees

The new building is nestled into the complex and sits harmoniously amongst the trees of a well established orchard. The levels of this building have been carefully considered by the architect to work with a linking cloister and existing gardens and courtyards.

Characterful oak 'crucks'

The two-storey part of the building utilises oak framing carpentry for its primary structure, including characterful oak 'crucks' over the first-floor rooms.

Faced in local stone

Ground floor walls are faced in local stone, mostly reclaimed from a previous building on the site.

Adaptable space

The building is designed for longevity and to provide robust, adaptable space with complexity kept to a minimum.

The detail

The new building, in conjunction with existing buildings, creates a courtyard space around an old orchard. The overall form and size is a carefully arranged fit in relation to existing buildings as well as the natural environment and surrounding trees.

As well as giving careful consideration to the client requirements and creating a design that is sympathetic to the existing surroundings, the architect also detailed the building to be sustainable and energy efficient. Particular attention was given to insulation, airtightness, and ventilation. A heat main pipe was extended from the existing central biomass /log fired system serving other buildings, to a heat store within the building.

Architecture: Noel Wright – noelwrightarchitects.co.uk

Photography: Lance McNulty – lancemcnulty.co.uk

Services

  • Design advice
  • Full project management

Chithurst Buddhist Monastery

The project was delivered on time and on budget and any snagging was efficiently dealt with.

Sam St Clair-Ford

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