SENIOR SANGHA SANCTUARY PROJECT

PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

Annex A

Design Specifications

DRAFT

 

Background

 

While the Sangha is revered in Bhutan and supported in their later lives by the monasteries they served in prior to retirement, there are occasions where some elderly monks “fall through the cracks” in their old age when – upon retirement after the age of 62 – the monastery system was not able to take care of them and they have to struggle to eke out a living in their old age.

 

Living conditions in the monasteries can also be harsh for the elderly monks because of cold weather, cramped quarters and a built environment that poses a challenge for older people with mobility impairment.

 

For these reasons, His Majesty the King of Bhutan has bestowed a piece of land at the bequest of His Holiness, the Jhe Kenpo, to build a prototypic retirement facility for elderly monks who need a safe place to live in their older age, and whose design is replicable to benefit both elderly Sangha as well as elderly Bhutanese citizen in the future.

 

Objective

 

To create a 50-60 bed facility for retired monks that can serve as a replicable prototype for future expansion either at the same site or at other sites

 

While seemingly isolated with poor road access and lack of infrastructure, the current site has been selected because of the relatively warm weather in Punakha (no need for heating in the winter months), proximity to a level 2 health station (which will be upgraded), and its auspicious location. The government has also pledged the building of infrastructure to this site (i.e. road improvement, electrical grid, water and sanitation).

 

Specifications

Key guidelines -

• The design and “software” must optimize independent living and support ageing in place  (in terms of universal accessibility)
• The facility must support the daily practices of the senior Sangha who will be living there – i.e. meditative practices, dharma studies, Puja and prayer practices
• The facility must also accommodate care staff who will be living on site, as well as visiting senior sangha and their attendants who maybe teaching at the facility
• The facility must aim to be minimally institutional in feeling
• The design must optimize on the preservation of Bhutanese design traditions
• Be cost effective

Space requirements

Living space –

• The 60 beds should be organized into clusters of 8 – 9 bedrooms plus one 2-bed disability bedroom around a common living/dining space
• Bedrooms should ideally be for single occupancy

·                     Bedroom should accommodate a single bed, a small desk for personal writing materials and dharma study, and personal storage

·                     I will need to find out more about their daily activities as well as storage requirements e.g. book shelves, drawers, shelves, hanging space, etc.

• Two rooms can share a toilet with commode, sink and medicine/storage cabinet (for toilet paper, cleaning agents, etc.)
• Disability bedroom would be for people who are wheelchair bound and require personal assistance; space would need to be bigger for wheel chair access both for the room as well as the toilet.
• Shower facilities can either be part of the toilet facility shared by two rooms, or perhaps even one large bath facility, accommodating a wheel chair  accessible shower as well as regular showers

·                     I need to find out if they usually take showers or tub baths

• Common space might include a sitting area, a dining table, a small kitchenette with refrigerator, small stove and ? microwave – this space would be for socialization
• Functionally, everyone living in a cluster is supposed to help each other, especially those with disability and require care
• At least two of these clusters must have doors to make an enclosed space if necessary to accommodate elderly monks that might develop dementia

 

Special units–

• A 4 – 6 bed unit for elderly monks who are bed bound or convalescing from an acute illness and who regular 24 hour care and observation (open space room or with glass walls so caregivers can easily monitor their wellbeing and need for help)
• Functionally, set up would be more like hospital beds with call bells for each bed, sink in room
• There needs to be a care givers desk area (accommodates 2 – 3 caregivers) with book shelf for some records, medicine cabinet, and shelves for supplies (e.g. for wound care, diapers, bedpans, etc.)
• ?? Two to three single rooms with attached baths for senior monks who want to go into meditative seclusion or dharma study and need higher levels of quiet away from clusters and public spaces

 

Visitors’ living quarters –

• Two suites to accommodate visiting monks who maybe teaching; they usually travel with 2 – 3 junior attendants
• Each suite should have a bedroom for the senior monk (should be slightly larger than the typical room for the resident monks), a small sitting area perhaps with small kitchenette or wet bar setup, and an attached bedroom with two twin beds, or perhaps a twin and a bunk/trundle bed to accommodate a total of three persons (alternatively, the living room can have sofa bed)

 

Staff quarters –

• Not sure how many staff yet; will need to find out; would guess that it would include:
• 1 – 2 ground keepers/estate management staff
• 3 kitchen staff
• 4 personal care-giving assistants
• 3 cleaning/laundry staff
• This is assuming that most residents will be able bodied and can take care of themselves as well as help with some day-to-day work

 

Public spaces –

• A prayer hall (with Buddha statues, etc.) that can seat 70 - 80 people
• A dharma teaching/meditation hall that can seat 70 - 80 people
• Dining hall and kitchen for the residents and visitors – 80 people

 

Around the building –

• Ideally, there are be a visually pleasing walking path for walking meditation or daily exercise