“We come from Earth, we return to Earth.” A timeless phrase whispers through the ages, calling us back to nature’s embrace. In our pursuit of the stars, we often neglect the treasures beneath our feet. What if ancient wisdom melded with modern innovation?
Layout
“Path to Serenity” is a journey—a sanctuary for the stressed, a haven for contemplation and meditation, a pilgrimage towards inner peace. This architectural odyssey unfolds through five distinct spaces, each designed for a unique purpose.
Material Tests
The project is defined by three domes and the space in-between. Two are created using clay 3D printing technology, while the third is made from 3D-printed hollow glass panels supported by a glass-beam skeleton. These domes are connected through a concrete platform, curved at its ends to form ramps. This platform rests on rammed earth walls and a grid of inclined metal columns, varying in thickness, orientation, and density.
Entrance
The journey begins at the Reception, where visitors shed their urban shells, exchanging them for garments that reconnect them with the earth. The Collection Space follows—an open area where light filters through inclined, slender columns, mimicking a serene forest. Here, a central boulder under a skylight offers seeds nestled in its crevices, inviting pilgrims to gather and reflect.
Form Generation
Collection Space
Additionally, the project incorporates a distinctive wall typology, featuring walls constructed with 3D-printed clay bricks. These hollow square bricks, lofted into small triangular openings of varying sizes, modulate the amount of light penetrating the wall, adding a dynamic interplay of light and shadow throughout the space.
Ground Floor Plan
First Floor Plan
Meditation Space
Next is the Meditation Space, a dimly lit sanctuary with a soaring ceiling and a single, illuminating skylight. Books and isolated seating beckon the soul to delve deep within. From this, pilgrims traverse a narrow, dark ramp with a glass floor, symbolizing a journey inward.
Contemplation Space
Emerging into the Contemplation Space, visitors find a bright, open area where they can plant their gathered seeds and marvel at their predecessors creation’s beauty. This space encourages reflection and connection with the natural world.
Section A-A
Section B-B
Serenity
The final destination is the State of Serenity, a terraced platform offering sweeping views of a vast landscape and a tranquil lake, embodying ultimate peace.
Lake View
Back Exit
Transcendence
3D Printed Clay Dome
Clay Dome Detail
Clay Dome
Glass Dome Details
Physical Model
Glass Dome Trials
Physical Models
Clay Dome Wall Section
Construction Methods
Inclined Metal Column Section Detail
Karamba 3D Structure Analysis
Glass Dome Structure Plan/Section
Glass Dome Section Detail
Birdseye view
“Path to Serenity” masterfully blends traditional craftsmanship with modern innovation, creating a holistic journey back to nature and inner tranquility.
Project Made By: Ahmed Tareef Arafa, Ettore Grassagli, Yuqing Lei, Fatemeh Ahangarian
