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The Calcagnini Contemplative Center campus.

At times, the meditative mind might delve or digress Interior of the chapel.
into the background elements of a space. If one were to do
so in a room lined with the cedar boards, one might notice
that although all boards are the same size and general
appearance, no two have the same graining pattern.
Regarding the white walls, one might connect the dots (in
the form of the rectangular recesses) in various ways, play-
ing against the movement of people in the foreground.
It’s not a stretch to see such subtle patterns as potential
sources of insight for a contemplative retreat participant.

Various architectural details also harbor small sur-
prises. The wood columns, for instance, appear from afar
to be large, monolithic posts, but up close one can see
that they are multiple pieces of dimensional lumber
bound together. The connecting bolts, plates, and straps
are positioned so as to evoke the bases and capitals of
classical columns. These elements not only reflect thor-
ough detailing, but also suggest a variety of cultural and
aesthetic metaphors that may further stimulate retreat
participants’ thinking.

The physical facility of the Calcagnini Contemplative
Center is, appropriately enough, the fruit of a long and
thoughtful design process. The result is a place that
blends rustic simplicity with surprisingly intricate archi-
tectural forms and details, offering food for thought in a
directed, mindful manner. It turns out that the real thing
can be even more compelling than the academic exercise.

40 ADVANCED RETREAT