Celebrations for the grand opening of the largest Thai Buddhist temple built outside of Thailand, constructed by Consigli Construction and designed by ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge, were held on June in Raynham, Mass.
Hundreds of people attended a public ceremony celebrating the opening of the $60 million, 110,000 square-foot, Wat Nawamintararachutis NMR Meditation Center, which included self-guided tours and a luncheon. A private ceremony was also held, which included more than 500 monks, Thai dignitaries, donors, local and state officials and members of the project team.
The new retreat is topped by a 185 foot-high steeple-like chedi of brass that soars above the surrounding rural neighborhood. Consigli’s team of skilled craftsmen self-performed the installation of miles of cherry wood, marble, brass and gold in the interiors. Much of the finishes and artifacts were made in Thailand, including seven gold-clad bronze Buddhas. Hundreds of fiberglass lotus medallions covered in gold-leaf and tiny triangular mirrors adorn the temple ceilings. And, a three-story grand staircase features hand-crafted bronze stair railings.
“There are very few contractors I can imagine doing this project other than Consigli. It requires that special touch. The biggest thing was the need for flexibility and sensitivity in handling a lot of unusual finishes and thinking outside the usual parameters to adapt to this unique project. We have an excellent team from Consigli, and I couldn’t be happier,” said the Temple’s Project Director, Paul Chapple.
The complex holds a museum, meditation space, residence halls for monks, kitchens and a multi-purpose hall that accommodates up to 700, which surrounds the actual temple. The multi-purpose hall, where the grand opening was held, will be used for major Buddhist celebrations during the year. The local community will be able to use the hall for meetings and lectures dedicated to the cultural traditions of Thailand.
The Wat Nawamintararachutis NMR Meditation Center is dedicated to the life of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX, the King of Thailand, who was born at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts in December 1927, while his parents were students at Harvard Medical School and Simmons College.
Related Stories
| May 15, 2013
Center for Green Schools, Architecture for Humanity release new tool for green schools
The 70-page guide demystifies the processes of identifying building improvement opportunities and finance and implementation strategies.
| May 14, 2013
Paints and coatings: The latest trends in sustainability
When it comes to durability, a 50-year building design ideally should include 50-year coatings. Many building products consume substantial amounts of energy, water, and petrochemicals during manufacture, but they can make up for it in the operations phase. The same should be expected from architectural coatings.
| May 14, 2013
Advanced turbines generate 6X more energy than conventional models
US-based wind energy company SheerWind just unveiled the INVELOX – a tunnel-based wind turbine that can produce up to 600% more power than traditional wind turbines.
| May 14, 2013
Raymond Clark joins HOK’s Chicago Practice as Management Principal
HOK announced today that Raymond Clark, AIA, LEED AP, has joined its leadership team in Chicago as senior vice president and management principal.
| May 14, 2013
Easy net-zero energy buildings [infographic]
"Be a Zero Hero" infographic educates building industry professionals on ultra energy-efficient structural insulated panel construction
| May 9, 2013
10 high-efficiency plumbing fixtures
From a "no sweat" toilet to a deep-well lavatory, here's a round up of the latest high-efficiency plumbing fixtures.
| May 9, 2013
Post-tornado Greensburg, Kan., leads world in LEED-certified buildings per capita
Six years after a tornado virtually wiped out the town, Greensburg, Kan., is the world's leading community in LEED-certified buildings per capita.
| May 8, 2013
Preventable curtain wall failures - AIA/CES course
In many cases, curtain wall failures are caused by fairly simple errors that occur during the fabrication and installation process. This presentation will highlight common errors and when they typically occur.
| May 8, 2013
NBBJ appoints Tim Leberecht Chief Marketing Officer
NBBJ, a global architecture and design firm, today announced that it has appointed Tim Leberecht as its Chief Marketing Officer. Leberecht joins NBBJ from Frog Design where he led the marketing organization from 2006 to 2013 and helped transform the company into one of the world’s foremost design and innovation consultancies.