SCI-ARC ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS VISIT TO GETHSEMANI PROPERTY

Michael Rotondi, founder, past director, and distinguished faculty member of the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-ARC) is a member of the Merton Institute Task Force for the development of the Gethsemani property.  He has provided pro-bono assistance in planning, strategy and concept development for the project. This Summer he created a special course at SCI-ARC devoted entirely the MICL project.  The course filled up immediately with fifteen students who come from nine different countries.  We provided the students with an overview of the project and the summary of the community meetings.  Thirteen of the students spent four days at the property and to learn more about the purpose of the project, the characteristics of the property and the region surrounding it. In addition they spent an afternoon at Bernheim Forest where Claude Stephens gave a two hour presentation on the planning and development of the Visitor Center which is a Platinum level certified LEEDS building for environmental performance and sustainable design. They visited Eleanor Miller’s farm to see the first LEEDS Gold certified farm buildings in the US and to meet with the architect and energy consultant for that project. At the Gethsemani Visitor’s Center they viewed the film on Gethsemani, visited Merton’s grave and attended Vespers.  At separate times Tom Williams, Br. Paul Quenon and Bob Toth spoke to them about the project, the monastic contemplative tradition and the Merton Institute’s history and current initiatives.  They also spent time in Bardstown to experience some of the local culture and architecture.

The students will now make a new more accurate and detailed model of the site and each student will develop concepts for facilities and create a model.  They will present their models to the faculty and each other on August 13th.  All of the information, insights and design work will be available for the Merton Institute to use as it discerns its facility and fund development plans.

The Gethsemani Property Project