NAME :HELY PATEL

SUBJECT: THESIS TOPIC

SEM – IX
NO - 20
VIPASSANA CENTER PEACE THROUGH ARCHITECTURE
Why meditation center ?
• The simple practice of meditation has an abundance of
health benefits that can alleviate the stress of modern
living and bring some balance back to your world.
• With 24-hour connectivity to work and constant digital
overload at home, were more stressed and under more
pressure than ever before.
• This has all sorts of short and long-term health
implications, such as: anxiety, poor immunity, digestive
problems, headaches, high blood pressure, poor sleep,
fatigue and burnout.
• Meditation can act as a circuit breaker for this non-stop
lifestyle, giving both the mind and the body a chance to
recharge. "Meditation is a powerful natural antidote to
stress. It's a simple mental technique used by people
from all over the world.
What is vipassana ?
• Vipassana is a word from pali language which means “ to see
things as they really are”
• It is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation. It
is rediscovered by Gotama Buddha more than 2500 years
ago.
• It was taught by him as a universal remedy for universal ills,
i.e., an Art Of Living.
• Vipassana is a way of self-transformation through self-
observation. It focuses on the deep interconnection between
mind and body
• Since the time of Buddha, Vipassana has been handed down,
to the present day, by an unbroken chain of teachers. the
current teacher in this chain, Mr. S.N. Goenka, was born and
raised in Burma (Myanmar).
• While living there he had the good fortune to learn
Vipassana from his teacher, Sayagyi U Ba Khin who was at
the time a high Government officiar. After receiving training
from his teacher for fourteen years, Mr. Goenka settled in
India and began teaching Vipassana in 1969.
 A majority of the people,

• There is a 203 centers in all over the world and 139 non-centers around 94 county in world.
 Vipassana centers in india :

• In asia there is a 150 centers.

• In india there is a 89 centers and 16 non-centers.
Scope of vipassana
• Vipassana is a technique which has a very practical approach. Not only helps one to pass through the
vicissitudes of life in a detached way, but it also promote social well-being.
• Therefore it is a science , not only self development but also for social development of a neighborhood.

The characteristic features of vipassana center are :

• It is universal technique which can be practiced by anyone belonging to any country, caste or community.
so it demands a barrier free environment.
• There is no place for imagination in this technique , no verbalization of any mantra or visualization of any
god or goddess or any other object.
• It is highly individualistic and experiential method of meditation.
• According to the tradition of vipassana , courses are run on the basis of donations. No fee is charged.
Neither teachers nor the assistant teachers receive any fees. All are volunteers motivated by benefits they
have received.
 Aim :
• The aim of the project is to design a meditation center that gives a retreat to the meditatores, a resting place
out of the humdrum of busy life, a center for the all providing a palette of different atmosphere of meditation
spaces that provoke mental and physical healing of individual.

Objectives

• To help individuals to manage their emotions , thoughts , energy.

• It gives a path towards art of living.
• To utilize the natural elements air, water, earth, sound, and space in meditation.
• To exploit the resources present on site to its maximum potential, the site being rich in flora and fauna.
• To design spaces and zones which connect man and nature, and creating an aura of peace
and tranquility to help in meditating
Architectural intervention
• Vipassana course run by donation so design and material should be less maintenance.
• In order to achieve peace and harmony needs to balance between artificial and natural environment.
• The existence of the institute will be improving environment without disturbing surrounding context.
• Need to maintain complete segregation in men and women accommodation , dining area , in order to
they should not contact each other in any way during course.
• Sustainable stability of center helps to achieve a stable state of mind.
Site location : Mount abu , Rajasthan
• Mount abu is located in the Aravalli range in sirohi district of
rajasthan state, which extends until western india near the border
of Gujarat.
• The Mount Abu Municipality has population of 22,943 of which
12,557 are males while 10,386 are females as per report released
by Census India 2011.
• Mount Abu has three distinct seasons. Summer lasts from mid April
to mid June when the temperature ranges from 23°C to 36°C. It
never gets too hot and is still breezy because of the forests and
mountains.
• Mount Abu is blessed with rivers, waterfalls and lush green forests.
The mountain is of immense religious importance for Hindus and
Jains as it houses over 80 temples and shrines.
• A majority of the people work in the tourism sector or own shops
that sell local goodies like fabrics, jewellery, souvenirs.
 Vipassana centers in Rajasthan
• Dhamma Thali Vipassana Meditation Centre (jaipur)
• Dhamma Pushkar Vipassana Meditation Centre (ajmer)
• Dhamma Pubbaja Vipassana Meditation Centre (churu)
• Dhamma Marudhara ( jodhpur)
• Vipassana Aranya (non center) (Chhandel Kalan)
• Sambodhi upvan (non center) (Mount abu )

• Project proposal is to make permeant vipassana center

Which now work as a “ sambodhi upvan “ non center at
mount abu

• 10 days course are being organized since 2011.generally

this course is held every month except winter month.
Site justification
• The energy of the nature has not been exhausted, disturbed, or destroyed there. It allows you to
reconnect with the elements that you are made of.
• Abu touriom help more people to know what is vipassana as it is the famous hill station of
Rajasthan.
• As many people come to vipassana center its helps to socio- economical development of abu.
program
SR.NO SPACE
1 RECEPTIION
WAITING AREA
TOILET
2 VISITORS GALLERY
3 VIDEO GALLERY
4 BOOKS & SOUVENIR CENTER
5 PAINTING GALLERY
6 MAYANMAR GATE
7 FOOD COURT
8 MEDITATION ARAE
DHAMMA HALL
SHUNYAGAR
OPEN SPACE FOR MEDITATION
9 ACCOMODATION
FEMALE ACCOMODATION
MALE ACCOMODATION
TEACHERS ACCOMODATION
10 DINING AREA
11 COMMAN TOILET
12 PARKING
BIBLOGRAPHY
• https://www.dhamma.org/en/index
• https://www.dhamma.org/en/about/vipassana