A pillar in the teachings of mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, recently passed away at 95 years of age. At Hubbell & Hubbell, we are thankful to be able to look at one of Hanh’s framed quotes, “The Mind is a Painter,” every day. It reminds us to be present and grounded. While working with Deer Park Monastery, where 35 Clarity Hamlet nuns reside in Escondido Valley, we collaborated with the nuns to design 5 structures spanning out from a central courtyard that enable a sense of community, togetherness, mindfulness, and interaction between residents while harmoniously integrating the indoor and outdoor spaces.
As you travel the paths, passing by a beautiful garden scattered with cypress trees, you’ll see reclaimed timber columns of the buildings and earthen-clay plaster surrounding the super-insulated straw bale walls, all reclaimed materials given a second life in these residences. Utilizing operable windows and passive solar designs paired with natural ventilation, the monastery is designed for optimal thermal comfort and energy-efficiency.
Ed Earl, the project manager who worked with Drew and the team at H&H, said this of the monastery:
The nunnery project had a profound impact on me and on many others who were involved with the project, both as participants and observers. As Sister Kinh Nghiem commented to me when we finished the project: ‘We built a lot more than just buildings with this project.’
We are very grateful to have worked with such an impactful team and project at Deer Park. If you’d like to learn more about this project, visit this page.
Photos by Arnel Garcia.