Pu-Jia Meditation Center

The Pu-Jia Meditation Center is a religious building located in the center of Pu Jia. The site is long and narrow, covering only 3600 square feet. The challenge was to design a structure on the limited space of the site and satisfy the multi-functional requirements of the center while embodying the spirit of Buddhist wisdom and compassion. This image is manifested through the tranquil atmosphere of the center--an atmosphere conducive to the spiritual progress of its users.

A stone barrier is set up on one side of the passage to hide the dining room and the kitchen on the first floor. The administration space is moved to the second floor and the handicapped entrance to one corner. The central staircase at the main entrance leads directly to the Grand Hall. In keeping with the spirit of welcoming and accepting the beings of the world, the structure is united with the original path and the natural surroundings. The windows on the fourth floor are arranged symmetrically as a mirror image. This indirectly expresses the central thought of selflessness in Buddhism. The outside walls are left as unfinished bare concrete. This is in accordance with the ultimate intension of Zen practice: to peel away the illusions of the world and reveal the ultimate truth of being.