Anamkara Center.
Concept exploration for a retreat center in Santa Cruz Mountains for the Anamkara Foundation
Conference Center
It all began with an idea of creating a retreat center that was both a beautiful place to stay and also a great place to meet and share ideas.
The parti was simple: create organizational clarity by having a clear center building for the lobby and community life and wings on either side of it. One for short term stays and the other for group presentations and break out meetings.
Connection to nature
A view from the mountain lot out to the grandeur of the pacific ocean helped shift people out of their normal daily routines and mind sets.
Strong Entry
As you approached the center we wanted the entry to be strong. It needed to be identifiable, primary and a bit mysterious. It needed to function as a gateway as much as a functional entrance to the hospitality center with lobby, concierge and support.
Residential Wing
While the panoramic view was important, equally important was the idea that the center gathered people and helped them to focus on themselves. So while residential units had view windows they also had enough wall space to create a sense of boundary. Walls were also thick to reinforce the enclosure. Rammed earth was considered tp add to the sense of mass
Conference Wing
The conference room/break out spaces needed to feel open and the vertical dimensions tall enough to make a proportional space with good acoustics without creating a space that became too dominant.