KORU
Koru is a sustainably designed meditation space that encourages inward focus and peace of mind. The spiral shape guides an individual around the building before entering, This serves as a transitional space from the outside world to the inner yoga space. The cabin emulates the spiral shell that is often found in nature. Like a shell, the inner space is meant to be a refuge from the outside world. The cabin is designed using light wright low carbon. and local materials. Utilizing sheep’s wool insulation, cork floors and ceilings, pine and beech wood structure, plywood, hemp cables, and sho sugi ban cladding.
+MAPPING
+MASSING
The koru, which is often used in Māori art as a symbol of creation, is based on the shape of an unfurling fern frond. Its circular shape conveys the idea of perpetual movement, and its inward coil suggests a return to the point of origin. The koru therefore symbolises the way in which life both changes and stays the same so we thought it perfectly captured the idea of yoga and meditiation.
+CONSTRUCTION
The hut is raised off the ground and has multiple detached screen layers to address the rainy climate of northern New Zealand. These design choices along with the cork floor, sheep’s wool insulation allow the inside of the hut to remain at a comfortable temperature year around with just a wood fireplace. The structure of the curved walls is achieved through a gridshell system. The gridshell minimizes the material used while deriving strength through compression. The interior finish is a plywood sheeting inspired by boatbuilding.
+GROWTH
The burned wood slats are condusive to moss growth which overtime will grow to cover the whole structure in a poetic return to nature.
+OCCUPATION
JUNE 21, 0000 CST
The hut is raised off the ground and has multiple detached screen layers to address the rainy climate of northern New Zealand. These design choices along with the cork floor, sheep’s wool insulation allow the inside of the hut to remain at a comfortable temperature year around with just a wood fireplace.
