Tea House (currently under construction)

During the winter of 2021–2022, I designed a model for a tea house intended to be built in a bend of the Dinan River on the Moulin de Vaux site.
This is not a traditional tea house, but rather a place that freely evokes the principles and practices of the tea house spirit.

Here are the themes that inspired its design:
– The square, the circle and the triangle of Sengai, reinterpreted as a tea house…
– And also the white square on a black or white background, an icon of deconstructivism, by Malevich.

An eclectic and contemporary tea house, as its flower-shaped roof aligned with the cardinal points follows the proportions of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, and even of the inverted pyramid of the Louvre!

It is also deeply connected to nature through its location in the hollow of a bend of the Dinan River and through its canopies covered with hand-split wooden shingles. It also gracefully accommodates the occasional excesses of the river, thanks to its stilts which allow it to escape flooding.

At the heart of the black box, reminiscent of *2001: A Space Odyssey* and evoking the absolute mystery of existence, there is a small recess for the fire and kettle used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. One of the walls also features a *tokonoma* for displaying calligraphy and ikebana.

Four people can sit inside after bowing under the entrance shoji for the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Six people can sit to meditate facing the wall, like Bodhidharma in his cave. One may also come alone to recollect quietly, or the host or hostess may receive a guest.

All around, up to 15 people can sit in meditation facing the river and the valley.

This space may occasionally be used for specific workshops, but most of the time it is open to everyone — residents or trainees who wish to dedicate some time to meditation.

HOW IT WORKS

Free or occupied: a small sign at the entrance
When can you come: whenever you wish
Group use: please respect silence in this space