This 172-acre site in rural Santa Cruz County provides an ideal location for the planned Vastu Shanti Retreat Center. This meditation and yoga center, with an estimated 50,000 square feet of development, will include administration offices, lecture & practice rooms, dining & kitchen facilities, a meditation hall, ayurvedic treatment rooms, and lodging for 100 participants.
RC|A served as project planner and project manager for the development masterplan which is based on the ancient Indian tradition of Stahapatya Veda, designing communities in accord with the laws of nature. In preparation for directing the project, RC|A was given an initiation into the design principles of Vedic Architecture.
The project planning phase required strategic incorporation of diverse environmental and zoning regulations due to the unique ecological composition and location of the property. The project specifies on-site energy and food production and takes advantage of the pristine native landscape with an extensive walking trail system. In an effort to utilize low impact building techniques, RC|A designed a prototype meditation hut incorporating recycled wood and built on a pier foundation.