Samadhi Shala Walking through the forest on a breezy mild night while breathing in the air purified by the majestic pine trees and surrounding lavender, the yogi arrives at Samadhi Shala, the place of union and oneness. The new yoga house of Vale De Moses manifests a surrender to nature in harmony of dark colors and natural materials blending into the landscape. Samadhi is the spiritual state where one’s mind is absorbed by contemplation to a point that one loses identity, similarly, this space is ideal to get fully immersed in nature, the valley and the mountains while forgetting about the self. Location Samadhi Shala, the extension of Vale de Moses’ current yoga facilities, is just 160 meters uphill from the main building. The new yoga room would help to accom-
“Only who has fully mastered the breathless stateis freed from cosmic imperatives.” Yogananda modate more guests who seek detachment from their daily lives and seek peace. The topography of the area is rather steep, but the dedicated site is a flat area on a hill of around 10 by 30 meters surrounded by tall pine and eucalyptus trees which provide a perfect setting to feel one with the forest.
160 meters from main building
Samadhi Shala
path through the forest
Concept The proposal offers multiple possibilities of interactions to practice yoga, meditate, and enjoy massage therapy or just gather around a fire to hear stories from all over the world. At the same time, it preserves the natural environment without being aggressive to the landscape by minimizing the footprint and excavation and also using light construction methods that are easy and fast to assemble.
Vale de Moses
Shala
Site Plan - 1:1000
N
shala 95m2
showers +bathroom 20m2 kitchen +living 20m2
1. Separating the shala space from the other facilities gives freedom and independence to dedicate a space only for yoga and massage therapies.
2. Elevating the shala using the services as a support allows panoramic views from the top while reducing the footprint needing less excavation and leaving more room for the garden.
3. Shifting the shala to the north corner creates a covered area to enjoy the views of the valley protected from the rain and the sun.
4. Sloping the roof to the south corner creates a pitched surface facing the south which allows to install solar panels on a high position with the best orientation but also helps the timber structure design be more balanced.
5. Making two separate access gives the shala more independence and isolation from the outside world from where nature can be contemplated without interruptions.
6. Building a retaining wall using the local stone tradition helps enclose a space protected from landslides and rain while adding a stepped garden filled with areas to meditate around local wild plants, such as lavander
7. Creating openings with sliding windows provides up to 50% of openess to create cross-breeze ventilation using the top circular windows.
8. Collecting rainfall water using the 100m2 roof area which during the highest rainfall average months (Oct-Nov, 87mm) it can collect more than 6,000 liters per month, while in the driest months of (Jul-Aug, 3mm) it would collect around 200 liters per month.
outdoor showers shoe storage
showers rainwater collection tanks
bathroom changing room
yoga props storage
stepped garden and sitting area
storage kitchen
yoga room 95m2
living outdoor yoga deck
fire pit
covered deck balcony
First floor - 1:100
Second floor - 1:100
+9.20
+7.60
+5.20
+3.10
±0.00
Southwest Elevation - 1:100 SOLAR PANELS The roof pitch faces the south direction which makes it perfect to place eight parallel installed LUXOR Eco line 60/230 W Polycrystalline solar panels. CUPA 3 natural slate roof tiles Blue black natural non-carbonated slate formed by tectonic compression made in Spain. ALUMINUM GUTTERS Collect water from the 100m2 roof which will be stored in tanks under the stairs PINE GLULAM structure Easy and fast to build with local materials. CORK PANELS interior finish and insulation Sustainable, light, with great insulation properties and local. DRAPER DUAL ROLLER FLEXSHADES Roller curtains with two layers, a shade and a projection screen give more flexibility controlling the sunlight. CHARRED TREATED TIMBER (Yakisugi) SIDING Weatherproof and longlasting, low maintenance, repels insects, great fire resistance, and blends the building with the bark of the pine trees. WOOD BURNING IRON FIREPLACE CAST IRON WOOD BURNING STOVE PINE FLOORING tongue and groove STONE RETAINING WALL PRESSURE TREATED CEDAR DECK
STRUCTURAL DESIGN The glulam timber structure has been designed and verified using structural calculation software to get a predimensioning of the sections required and to make sure the design is realistic and possible. Most glulam sections are 20x20 except for some rafters that are 10x20cm.
+9.20
The foundation is done using concrete foots of 70x70x70 and the V posts sit on 70x70x120cm.
+7.60
Detail A +5.20
1x6 channel rustic siding charred treated
shala +3.10
Tyvek water resistant barrier 9.5mm OSB panel - exterior sheathing
kitchen
2x4 horizontal studs every 40cm O.C.
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40mm cork panels (50x100cm running bond) 20x20cm glulam structural post
Detail A - Scale 1:10
Section AA - 1:100
bathroom