Project for Chakra-inspired meditation spaces wins BB Student AwardConceived by Polish students 

Project for Chakra-inspired meditation spaces wins BB Student Award

Conceived by Polish students Oleksandr Kostevych, Mariia Chorna, Weronika Różyło and Julia Gawlik, this dreamy concept for a meditation camp stood out to the Bee Breeders panel for its connectivity with nature. While not the grand prize winner, it caught my eye for the way it combines vast glass elements with the traditional stonework of the existing buildings. 

Based around the idea of chakras, the site is imagined as a body; each building contributing to the overall health of the camp. The stone barn (the heart chakra) is broken up and intersected with glass cubes that connect the occupant to nature with the least possible obstruction, while a hotel (the throat chakra) is erected nearby with similar glass boxes gazing out. All connects to the farm itself (the root chakra… seen as the basis of life). Another interesting addition I particularly like is the Silence Chamber… a mirrored glass cube that blends into the trees and blocks out all sounds from the outside; leaving the occupant in a complete shut off state from the world. 

I love the way the barn has been transformed in this concept. While other entries (including the winner) were perhaps more sensitive with the building and retained more of its original features, I think this design is more striking; the way the new building is a huge body of glass (with that glorious full-height window looking out) but has that stone core at its heart… a perfect contrast in materials.

See all the winning entries, and the full display boards for this project, here.