Dear Friend,
After 10 years working to meet the requirements of local authorities, Plum Village is delighted to share that it has obtained important permits!
Upper Hamlet has received planning permits, while Lower Hamlet has received construction permits for its nunnery and will soon seek planning permits with the hope of beginning foundational work on water, electricity, and other infrastructure this autumn.
The process involved creating master plans for the two hamlets and holding many meetings with engineers, architects, and construction firms to ensure that the work will harmonize with the land, with existing buildings, and with Thay’s vision for the “root temple in the West.”
Permitting is a crucial step before construction can begin, and these approvals mean your gifts are more important than ever as we make preparations to ensure there is adequate living, practice, kitchen/dining, and communal activity space at our monastery.
We offer a deep bow of gratitude to all of our partners, and to our donors, for helping us reach this milestone!
UPPER HAMLET
In Upper Hamlet, the permit clears the way for seeking bids from construction companies (and securing building permits for each structure) so work may begin on building new lay guest accommodations (starting with Garden Guesthouse, pictured above in an architect rendering) and communal spaces, renovating existing buildings as administrative offices, and expanding and renovating the bookshop. While that process is underway, teams are beginning to prepare the land and access roads.
LOWER HAMLET
In Lower Hamlet, the permit (photo below) will allow construction planning to begin for a new nunnery (see photo above) and huts for nuns displaced in January when fire destroyed Purple Cloud building, additional common spaces for Dharma sharing circles and other activities, and a museum dedicated to Thay’s life, work, and writings.
NEW HAMLET
In addition to construction already started for new living space for the nuns, New Hamlet is working with architects to draw up its master plan, which will help guide future construction projects, including a new meditation hall and training space for nuns.
Thank you for being there, dear friend, and for helping ensure that Plum Village will continue blossoming as a global spiritual refuge.
With gratitude,
The Plum Village Construction Team and the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation
A deep bow of gratitude to MVRDV (lead architect) and MoonwalkLocal (local architect) and to Redvertex for the images.
