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Emanating from a high-desert hillside amidst rugged volcanic rock and twisted juniper trees the Buddhist Retreat rises up and out toward a spectacular view Capitol Reef National Park. In addition to its function as a secondary residence, this dwelling in Grover, Utah was designed to be a desert sanctuary for Tibetan Buddhist practice. Its intent is to intertwine everyday activities with singular moments that are typically reserved for spiritual rituals, thus heightening and sanctifying the act of living. Whether it be framing the detail of an ancient pinion pine or extending out into the spatial expanse of a wrapping panorama, the Buddhist Retreat's purpose is to creating rich and diverse moments of living. Flush with the ground at the top of the site, the entry deck of the house projects horizontally out into space toward the red rock gateway of the park as the topography slopes down toward the verdant valley below. The result is a space that suspends the user in a grand moment for group meditation, free and clear of visual and mental obstruction.

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