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
| Dec 8, 2011
HDR opens office in Shanghai
The office, located in the Chong Hing Finance Center in Shanghai’s busy Huangpu District, will support HDR’s design efforts throughout Asia.
| Dec 8, 2011
HOK elevates the green office standard
Firm achieves LEED Platinum certification in New York office that overlooks Bryant Park.
| Dec 7, 2011
ACE Mentor Program receives Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Math and Engineering Mentoring
Thornton Tomasetti founding principal Charles H. Thornton responsible for launching ACE.
| Dec 7, 2011
NSF International qualifies first wallcoverings distributor to the New American National Standard for Sustainable Wallcoverings
TRI-KES demonstrates leadership in environmental stewardship as the first distributor to earn qualification.
| Dec 7, 2011
DPR Foundation awards $590,000 to youth organizations
Grants will fund programs for disadvantaged kids across six states.
| Dec 7, 2011
Autodesk agrees to acquire Horizontal Systems
Acquisition extends and accelerates cloud-based BIM solutions for collaboration, data, and lifecycle management.
| Dec 7, 2011
ICS Builders and BKSK Architects complete St. Hilda’s House in Manhattan
The facility's design highlights the inherent link between environmental consciousness and religious reverence.
| Dec 6, 2011
Construction industry leaders gather for forum on diversity
Declared a “groundbreaking” event for the industry, Gilbane’s First Annual National Partners Council Forum addressed diversity and inclusion as well as building partnerships with minority, veteran, and women-owned businesses.
| Dec 6, 2011
Mortenson Construction completes Elk Wind Project in Iowa
By the end of 2011, Mortenson will have built 17 wind projects in the state generating a total of 1894 megawatts of renewable power.
| Dec 6, 2011
?ThyssenKrupp acquires Sterling Elevators Services
The acquisition of Sterling Elevator Services Corporation is the third acquisition completed by ThyssenKrupp Elevator AG in the last three months in North America.
