Update on the Retreat Hut Project

Stefanie has been based at Tushita working on the project periodically since summer 2011, helping us with further design alterations and the complicated permit applications! Throughout this time, we have been blessed by the collaboration of several consultants, locally as well as a consultant architect from Delhi and an experienced German builder who have each contributed to the designs in a significant way.

We are also very thankful to a local structural engineer, an 81 year old lady eco-builder/designer, a local building consultant as well as colleagues of our volunteer architect back in Germany. Delhi Architect Mr Ashish Ganju agreed to be a consultant for the project. It has been a warm international exchange of ideas and advice.

Some of Tushita’s dedicated teachers & staff were also keen to join in this creative design process and added useful advice from their experience. Regular visiting teacher Glen Svensson is pictured left being consulted on his retreat experience by Stefanie and Director Linda.

It has been extraordinary and heart-warming to witness all the help that has come Tushita’s way.

The Preparation

For more than a year before the designs began, it seemed vital to discuss with experienced long-term personal retreatants to get different views on what were the key elements when building a conducive retreat space. All the advice was collated and then the main key points became clear.

One key factor which came through comments such as “maximize the space” / create a “portable-changeable space for each individual” was the importance of the adaptability and spaciousness of the environment. Throughout the design phase, we have focused on the main room of the retreat hut as the heart of the project. This will be the main meditation/retreat practice area, so it is vital that the space supports the practice. Thus, there is room for meditation, prostrations, a moveable desk and optional sleeping area (as there is a second sleeping area available in the gallery above the kitchen/bathroom if preferred).

We were fortunate to receive design advice from 2 long-term practitioners who had been retreatants in our existing A-Frames back in the 70s when they were originally built. (You can see pictured above one of the original A-Frames being made).

Concerns about the heating and insulation, lead to recommendations of double-glazing and insulation suggestions. The use of rammed earth has also appealed to us particularly due to its both insulating and cooling qualities.

The Environmental Aspect

A key factor from the recommendations was to keep the new huts “in balance with nature”. To continue in the tradition of the existing A-Frames which blend so naturally into the forest environment, we would have to create a new design which also respected the natural area.

We have emphasized from the offset, the use of local, natural materials as much as possible. We have chosen rammed earth for the main room walls and local stone for the others. Local slate will be used for the outer walls. We looked into natural, local fibres for the insulation and the use of coconut fibre has come out best due to its local availability and its resistance to moisture. Plus we are currently researching ways to include individual rainwater harvesting units for each hut.

Elements of Vaastu (the Indian Feng Shui system) have been incorporated to make the design more energetically conducive as a retreat space. As well as the fact that building at Tushita always poses interesting concerns ranging from heavy monsoons to mischievous monkeys which all must be factored in to the design. (NB. Some of the design elements are still under discussion, so there may be further changes to the ideas presented above – August 2011)

The Initial Designs

Keeping in mind those wishing to do long retreat of 6 months, 1 year or more, attention was made to make it a “live-able, breathe-able” retreat hut space. Hence, the balcony and the gallery areas are also multi-functional so retreatants can create a space personal to their needs.

A flexible use of light from the central windows and bamboo shutters on the balcony gives the option of making the hut as private a space as required.

Reflected in the choice of building materials, the emphasis has been on the local material, the natural material the better to create a harmony and support around the retreatant from the physical conditions.

On May 10th 2013, it felt like history was in the making when our three A-Frame retreat huts that were built in the mid-1970s started to be dismantled to make way for three beautiful new retreat huts to be built. The day began with a sang incense offering to pacify the elements and a look back at the almost 40 years of service to retreatants which the huts have provided. You can see photos from this puja here.

May 2014: Building started on Monday April 21^st and is estimated to take one year to complete. All 3 huts will be worked on simultaneously. Prior to this, in accordance with Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice, important pujas were performed before the building work starts at Tushita on Friday April 18^th by the Gyudmed monastery monks. The pujas advised were Tara puja, 4 Protector Puja, and Druk.chuma.

There will be 3 huts: Workers are currently excavating the 3 sites in preparation of the foundations being installed. It’s a tricky balance as the lower part of the property becomes a building site, while we continue courses and meditation retreats above! Some of the workers are pictured on site, above right.

Fundraising for this project also began a new phase. We reached out to FPMT friends and former students for support, and were not disappointed by their generosity and thirst for such facilities.

Work went slowly and then stalled temporarily over monsoon, but once the rains stopped and a few readjustments were made, building took on a new vigorous burst of enthusiasm!

As you’ll see from these photos, the huts are now definitely taking shape and we estimate that the huts will be finished earlier than expected, it’s possible that they may even be ready for service by the time we re-open from the winter break in February 2015.

While the final courses of the year carried on up top, quiet first fix work took place further down the slope. This included all the work needed to take a building from foundation to putting plaster on the internal walls; e.g. constructing walls, floors and ceilings, and inserting cables for electrical supply and pipes for water supply.

Second fix comprises all the work after the plastering to a finished house. Electrical fixtures are connected to the cables, sinks connected to the pipes, and doors fitted into doorframes. All this work will now happen over the Winter Break.

As this update is being written in mid-December there has been a rather ugly turn in the weather, so we need prayers and good wishes sent our way for conducive conditions to complete the huts in time for the expected full completion in February.