Chapter Projects

The project entails completion of a feasibility study exploring options for renovation and/or expansion of the existing meditation center structure to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for everybody, and to beautify the neighborhood. The purpose of this feasibility study is to obtain potential funding for renovation/expansion from several sources including, but not limited to, the International Temples Project of the New Kadampa Buddhist Union (NKT-IKBU), an international Buddhist non-profit organization, and members of the local community who utilize the temple as a peaceful sanctuary and for drop-in meditation, formal study, retreats, workshops, and so forth. SERVICES REQUESTED: The client is requesting a concept design package to look at several options for renovation and expansion. KMC-SF is interested in the analysis of 3 options. The goal is to put together a package of drawings, diagrams, and basic cost estimation for each potential design option that informs budget, code relevance/restrictions, design impact, and construction timeline. PITCH: Everybody Welcome: Inner Peace in the Mission The Kadampa Meditation Center-SF is a 501(C)3 (non-profit) and no one is turned away for lack of funds. For all of us, there comes a time when we need to turn down the volume, put away the gadgets, and take a deep breath. In our ever-accelerating world, many of us are looking for a place of peace...both in our hearts and in our environment. The Kadampa Meditation Center of San Francisco is such a place. Former gang members and foodies; tourists and locals; hipsters and ex-prisoners - sitting together in peaceful contemplation. At KMC-San Francisco everyone is welcome. Whether Buddhist or non-Buddhist, we all need a quiet place of refuge, an oasis of peace in our busy lives and in the heart of the city. Situated between bustling Mission and Valencia Streets, KMC-SF is thriving, but has the potential to benefit many more in the community. By offering a welcoming exterior and an inspiring and beautiful interior, the Center can provide a place of refuge and reflection for the diverse populations of the Mission District and beyond. Locals and visitors alike will enjoy this peaceful city sanctuary for generations to come, a beacon of peace in our hectic world. OBJECTIVES/STRATEGIC CONTEXT: One of the primary objectives for KMC-SF in exploring renovation and expansion is to open up the facade of the existing structure. The goal is a more porous and community-friendly ground level that provides for a mini world peace café and community sanctuary for inner peace. KMC-SF also hopes to provide a parklet in front of the building at 17th Street between Mission and Valencia, a patch of the neighborhood that could use some beautification and greening. Additionally, expansion of the center might entail building up to incorporate additional programming and to improve the Center’s ability to serve the increasing interest in meditation and spiritual practice. The ground floor would include the community space with a library, small shop and mini world peace café, a kitchen, bathrooms, office space, and a meditation area for the public that would also serve as a kids/family meditation room during existing classes. The second story would include the main meditation hall, small kitchen with storage, toilet, and teachers prep room. A possible third story would include apartments with terraces and/or a shared green space.

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PARK(ing) Day is an annual daylong global event where citizens, artists and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spaces into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public places. The project began in 2005 with Rebar in San Francisco and has since spread to hundreds of cities around the globe. A quintessentially “open source” project, PARK(ing) Day has since been adapted and remixed to address a variety of social issues in diverse urban contexts around the world. Architecture for Humanity Chicago looked to explore the use of public space in Logan Square, a Chicago neighborhood with one of the lowest per capita concentrations of green space in the city. Three parking spaces along Milwaukee Avenue were transformed into a meditation pavilion and relaxation deck constructed from reclaimed shipping pallets.

The Urban Web, under the Manhattan Bridge, transformed an underused portion of the Coleman Oval Skatepark on Manhattan's Lower East Side, into a multi-sensory interactive installation. The inspirations for web's iconic design were influenced by the dynamic cable geometries of the Manhattan Bridge, as well as the chaotic street grid that forms the Lower East Side. It is our passion for humanitarian design that inspired us to take a minimally invasive approach in using ropes to create unique volumes and intriguing spaces to be enjoyed by all. While the web compliments the adjacent skate park, it also functions on its own to be used for street performances, or just to frame an urban room. The project was put up the week of October 20th. The project team spent the day putting up the installation and interacting with the Park's visitors. The team interviewed visitors about what they would like to see in the park. Our team posted the responses here, http://afhnypark.tumblr.com/. It is our hope that our research will lead to the park being updated in a way that will speak to the park's users.