Certain schools of thought in Buddhism espouse the notion of ridding materiality from one's existence, and the Buddhist shrine built by Arch Studio seems to be in line with this ethos. The shrine, which is on the outskirts of the city of Tangshan in Hebei Province, China, is built directly into a grassy berm that was a natural feature of the site. This design limited the physical impact that the shrine would have on the natural environment, hopefully limiting the spiritual impact of a material creation in the process.
Arch Studio's shrine is minimal in terms of design characteristics as well. The interior of the space is covered in raw concrete, and the various subterranean rooms blend together but for the occasional statue that helps those in the shrine to locate themselves.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Minimalist Shrines
- Opportunity to design shrines that blend and minimize physical impact on natural environments.
- Subterranean Architecture
- Opportunity to design underground spaces that minimize environmental impact above ground.
- Spiritual Materiality
- Opportunity to explore how to best design spiritual spaces without sacrificing beliefs of ridding materiality.
Where This Applies
- Architecture
- Opportunity for architects to design unique shrines using minimalism and subterranean architecture techniques.
- Religion
- Opportunity for religious groups to create spiritual spaces with minimal environmental impact.
- Environmental Conservation
- Opportunity for environmental conservation organizations to work with architects and religious groups to create designs that preserve natural environments while providing spiritual spaces.
