trappist monastery
illinois institute of technologyspring 2012 advanced studio
design of a monastery in an Indiana cornfield during a concrete-focused studio semester
located on a nondescript cornfield in the middle of the Midwestern state of Indiana, this monastery is programmed to serve as a space of solitude for 14 Trappist monks as well as a church for the neighboring community.
As these monks continue to serve a life of minimal interaction with the outside world and to seek a life of introspection and devotion to their practice and rituals, the design places their needs for a more isolated and private living in the forefront, while also taking advantage of the expansive landscape the cornfield offers.
Taking inspiration from the biblical pomegranate fruit and its complex inner structure, the brutalist design places various programs in a manner that allows for a procession ritual as part of their daily routine. Ramps and multileveled spaces with internal porosity deconstructs the typical cloister to provide an array of courtyards that offer their own unique designed nature atmosphere.
design
studio: year 3-concrete with adv. thomas kearns
