Stupa of Universal Compassion: Re-creating a Building Designed in the Fifteenth Century to Last for 1,000 Years
Architecturally and structurally the design brief for the stupa is unusual in a number of ways. The exterior will be an accurate full-scale recreation of the 15th century building in Tibet but will differ in many significant ways from the original.
The Gyantse Stupa is, in fact, almost completely solid (with the exception of the many small shrines, which are accessed from the perimeter terraces). FPMT’s Stupa of Universal Compassion will have a similar arrangement of external shrines. However, it will also accommodate a number of functions within the stupa itself, the most important of these being a 400-seat gompa with ancillary spaces such as toilets, offices, storage areas and air conditioning plant.
In addition, there will be a system of stairs, elevators and fire escapes providing public access to all major levels. A reference library incorporating research and tutorial rooms is also being considered on the upper levels of the main structure. On the bumpa level of the stupa will be four cardinal shrines and in their midst a large prayer wheel.
Designing the stupa is like solving the Rubik’s cube: each time you move one piece it impacts on several others. Nevertheless, it is nowhere near as complicated as a building like the Sydney Opera House and definitely not like the Maitreya statue in Bodhgaya.
As with any building, an efficient, cost-effective structural and construction system is required. Unlike most buildings, however, this brief stipulates that the new stupa be able to withstand the ravages of time for at least 1,000 years (a brief it shares with the Maitreya statue). While this is structurally feasible, far more attention will need to be given to the use and detailed design of construction materials than would normally be the case.
The original building is made of mud, stone and wood. At this stage our stupa is expected to be constructed largely from somewhat less romantic materials – steel and concrete. Although many modern concrete buildings have life spans of perhaps only 100 years, the precedence for longevity does exist. For example, the Pantheon in Rome is constructed from concrete with rudimentary steel reinforcement, and it is nearly 2,000 years old.
The Gyantse Stupa evolved in a much drier environment than that of Southeastern Australia. The tiered terraces of the stupa essentially form flat roofs for each level below. We will need to take great care in devising efficient water disposal and waterproofing, and we are aware that these considerations must be designed into the structure as an ongoing maintenance program, as 1,000 years will be difficult to guarantee.
The building presents many challenges. For example, the provision of a lift to all public floors within a stepped building shape without intruding into the internal space or affecting the external appearance. (The latest approach to this is a combination of lift and concealed wheelchair ramp). Providing natural light and ventilation to the gompa is also difficult when the interior is surrounded by shrines on each level. Furthermore, our designs must conform to contemporary building codes and standards without compromising the original external form.
I have been working on the design of the stupa for over 12 months, but in many ways my work has only just begun. There will be a role for the architect until the building is completed and the shrine rooms and gompa are finished being decorated. For me, the hardest part is to maintain mindfulness of the true purpose of the project and of my motivation. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama said: “Those working on the project, from the very beginning their motivation should be very sincere. Fame or personal gain – they should think about these. They should dedicate all their activities and energies of building the stupa to the benefit of all sentient beings – service to Buddhadharma. For a Buddhist, such motivation is considered very, very important, very essential.”
