The space is intended to give people a venue for experiencing a range of cultural practices. This is done by bringing several different spaces together in one consistent venue. Unifying the presentation of cultural practices across these spaces is the key to this venue.
The building is composed of three floors, which are intended to function as an economically sustainable community, giving people a place to meet and share. The conceptual organization of activities on each of these floors can be mapped with chakras.
The first floor is represented by three chakra:This floor embodies a foundation energy. It contains a sexual quality that is somewhat jazzy and hip. There exists the capability for unconscious awakening simply through presence and experience.
Navel:This floor is a place of physical nourishment and sustenance.
Solar Plexus:This floor encompasses work and accomplishment.
The second floor is represented by a single chakra:This floor is centered on healing through love and dissolution of the ego (sharing, groups, 'we' not 'I').
The third floor is represented by three chakra:This floor is a foundation of communication. It expresses and shares wisdom.
Third Eye:This floor accesses insight and wisdom.
Crown:This floor is in tune with the divine and opens all other chakras to this connection.
These concepts are embodied by usages that are a natural fit to the spaces:
The first floor has two sides, a wide area on the left, and a thinner area of the right. Both of these spaces have a commercial feel, though the left has feelings of gathering, bustling, inviting, energizing, exciting, warmth, nourishing and sharing. The energy of the right space is more reinforcing and expansive (to the left), investigative, inviting, warm, slower, and curious.
The wider left area is suited for a cafe. Decor and menu would both represent a wide range of indigenous arts. The space would nourish the mind, body, and spirit in its array of traditions and offerings. The air would be lively, with a certain jazz to it, and the energy would be clean. Each table/arrangement would be a well organized, but authentic, island of experience.
The space should be well lit, with a preference to the light being crafted (as per the work of James Turrell). With this concept, the name Caf� Soliei was considered. Each table area would have a 'theme'/style for a particular part of the world. Table themes would be rotated in sync with practices that have been brought into the space. There should be at least one sitting area that allows for 4-6 people to have a discussion. The caf� should also provide wireless internet access. This will help attract a clientele which is compelled to self education - additionally, computer users generally have more resources to contribute toward a venue of this nature. Employees would enter the kitchen through a space in the greenhouse (see below)
The smaller space on this floor would be well suited for a store; a book store space that would sell an extended range of products catered to the practices and events of the building. This would appear similar to many 'new age' books stores, but with the important distinction of coherency. Many such stores lack a coherent idea about what they are presenting to the curious public - this space would, at minimum, provide goods and wares that are being presented in other forums throughout the venue. In this sense, it would act somewhat like the shoppes within art museums - presenting unique and well thought-out goods covering a range of prices.
These two spaces would be connected via (glass?) doors near the back-middle of each space, next to the check-out counters.
A garden would be off the back of these spaces, and the book store would exit into it. This garden area could receive much funding from public garden/art funds. It would have winding paths that are soothing, making the space feel more expansive - and would be a model of energetic/fung shui alignment. There would be a space in it surrounded by a hedge, with only one entrance that would not have a line-of-sight with any other walking/standing space. There should also be a small pond with all levels of wetland plants. This garden space can also be coordinated with conservatory research into city green-spaces, bioremediation, and other studies.
Adjacent to it, extending ~10ft off the back of the building, would be a green-house for plants that would not otherwise be able to fare local wintering. This would be divided into two areas: growing space and small tool shed. The divider of these areas would be a door into the kitchen of the cafe.
The middle floor has a feel of healing and practice. This is direct and immediate.
The space of this floor has six areas. A large room, a kitchen off of this room, and a hall that attaches office rooms, a meeting room, a quiet space/sitting room, and a room for practitioner work.
The large [front] room is best suited as a practice studio. It has many windows that allow light into the space, and can accommodate many students. Off the hallway there are four rooms. The largest of these, the size of a large living room, is suited for a meeting space. This would include a sturdy table and perhaps a white-board or other collaborative 'think-space.'
The adjacent large space would be organized as a quiet space, or sitting room. This would be a multi-purpose space for individuals and groups wishing to investigate practices of a meditative nature. Next to this space would be a slightly smaller room well suited for usage by individual practitioners. Massage, aroma therapy, and private counseling - any practice which can share its space with another practice.
Off the hallway there is a unisex bathroom, as well as an office space to help in the organization of the operations of the first and second floors. This would likely contain two or three desk areas and perhaps some space for garden paperwork. There is also a kitchen off of the hallway next to the practice room. This space allows groups to prepare food when utilizing the second floor rooms for community meetings and larger gatherings.
The top floor has an open and spacious feel; communication, presentation, and exhibition.
The large and open nature of this space makes it perfect for hosting events where many people are communicated to - lectures, presentations, poetry, performances and gala events. There are several places within this spacious area in which a raised platform ('stage') could be located for performers and presenters. This raised area could be made of several pieces, or otherwise able to be moved for placement in the front-center, left side, right side, or next to the stairs.
The existing kitchen area would remain for food-prep (catering or in-house). The back wall spaces would be suited for storage and elegant bathrooms. The middle area would contain an office space and small coat check for patrons of this floor's events.
This floor is a stabilizing space for the whole building by bringing in practitioners and individuals of national and international recognition. Each hosted individual would have an opening night presented with an elegant atmosphere. In order to facilitate the hosting of these individuals, grants could be sought from large city/state organizations - working similarly to an artist-in-residence program.
With the rooms voluminous ceilings, flags from the nation or practice of each hosted individual could be hung, with a unique space for the most recent hosting. This space would also host on-going classes (by hosted individuals or others) as well as other meetings which would need a space of this nature.
In order to facilitate this elegant nature, and elevator would be needed for disabled and elderly patrons. This elevator would open near the top of the third floor stairs, and would connect to the same area on each of the other floors. It would have a path to it through the gardens, and would be glass walled, so that patrons could see out over the gardens and local neighborhood as they ascended.
In order to properly incorporate hosted practices and wisdom throughout the venue, each of five areas would have their own manager/director: caf�, shoppe, garden, practice floor and presentation floor. These individuals would have to highly collaborate in order to successfully maintain the coherency of the venue.
The coordination of these individuals, as well as other matters for the building, will likely require several overall positions: financial advisor (accountant) and facilitator. These individuals would also coordinate fa�ade work and other whole-building matter.