TASSAJARA…AFTER THE FIRE
LOCATION VENTANA WILDERNESS EAST OF BIG SUR CA.
DATES 3/10/2009….6/10/2009
DESIGNERS GENE DESMIDT AND DAVID ZIMMERMAN
OWNERS SAN FRANCISCO ZEN CENTER
THERE HAD BEEN A TERRIBLE FOREST FIRE IN THE VENTANA WILDERNESS LATE IN THE SUMMER OF 2008. AT ONE POINT IT COMPLETELY SURROUNDED TASSAJARA AND SWEPT THROUGH THE VALLEY. FIVE ZEN BUDDHISTS MONKS (INCLUDING THE ABBOT) REMAINED BEHIND AFTER THE EVACUATION AND MANAGE TO SAVE ALL THE MAJOR STRUCTURES IN TASSAJARA .IT WAS A MIRACLE OF MONK’S PERSEVERANCE BUT TWO SMALLER STRUCTURES WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE ICONIC “BIRDHOUSE” ON A CLIFF AND THE BATH HOUSE NEAR THE SWIMMING POOL.
THE LOCATION OF THE BIRD HOUSE, WHICH WAS AN ENDEARING RESIDENCE FOR MANY MONKS OVER THE YEARS WAS UP 150 STONE STEPS ON THE EDGE OF THE MOUNTAIN RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE ZENDO. THE ABBOTT, STEVE STUCKEY, AND MY CREW BLESSED BOTH SITES BEFORE CONSTRUCTION AND WE PROCEEDED TO BUILD IN THE DEAD OF WINTER 2009.
FIRST THE BIRDHOUSE …WE LUGGED ALL THE CONCRETE FOR THE FOUNDATION UP THE STONE STEPS…THEN THE FLOOR AND WALL FRAMING AND THEN ALL THE ROOF BEAMS. WE SALVAGED AN OLD BIRCH WOOD FLOOR AND INSTALLED IT…WE SAVED SOME HAND SPLIT RED CEDAR BOARDS FOR THE EXTERIOR WAINSCOTING AND THEN STUCCO ON THE UPPER WALLS. THE ROOF WAS BUILT TO LOOK LIKE AN OUTSTRETCHED BIRDS WING WITH A TRAPEZOIDAL DECK.
THE BATH HOUSE WAS DESIGNED TO HAVE A COMPLETELY OPEN AIRY FEELING TO THE ROOF STRUCTURE, REDWOOD BOARD AND BATTEN SIDING AND TILED MENS AND WOMENS SHOWERS. WE CREATED A CURVED PATHWAY TO THE BATH HOUSE TO ACCOMMODATE WHEELCHAIRS. WE HAD MIKE LAINE AND HIS SON CONSTRUCT AN ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS GATES AND ENTRY.
DATES 3/10/2009….6/10/2009
DESIGNERS GENE DESMIDT AND DAVID ZIMMERMAN
OWNERS SAN FRANCISCO ZEN CENTER
THERE HAD BEEN A TERRIBLE FOREST FIRE IN THE VENTANA WILDERNESS LATE IN THE SUMMER OF 2008. AT ONE POINT IT COMPLETELY SURROUNDED TASSAJARA AND SWEPT THROUGH THE VALLEY. FIVE ZEN BUDDHISTS MONKS (INCLUDING THE ABBOT) REMAINED BEHIND AFTER THE EVACUATION AND MANAGE TO SAVE ALL THE MAJOR STRUCTURES IN TASSAJARA .IT WAS A MIRACLE OF MONK’S PERSEVERANCE BUT TWO SMALLER STRUCTURES WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE ICONIC “BIRDHOUSE” ON A CLIFF AND THE BATH HOUSE NEAR THE SWIMMING POOL.
THE LOCATION OF THE BIRD HOUSE, WHICH WAS AN ENDEARING RESIDENCE FOR MANY MONKS OVER THE YEARS WAS UP 150 STONE STEPS ON THE EDGE OF THE MOUNTAIN RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE ZENDO. THE ABBOTT, STEVE STUCKEY, AND MY CREW BLESSED BOTH SITES BEFORE CONSTRUCTION AND WE PROCEEDED TO BUILD IN THE DEAD OF WINTER 2009.
FIRST THE BIRDHOUSE …WE LUGGED ALL THE CONCRETE FOR THE FOUNDATION UP THE STONE STEPS…THEN THE FLOOR AND WALL FRAMING AND THEN ALL THE ROOF BEAMS. WE SALVAGED AN OLD BIRCH WOOD FLOOR AND INSTALLED IT…WE SAVED SOME HAND SPLIT RED CEDAR BOARDS FOR THE EXTERIOR WAINSCOTING AND THEN STUCCO ON THE UPPER WALLS. THE ROOF WAS BUILT TO LOOK LIKE AN OUTSTRETCHED BIRDS WING WITH A TRAPEZOIDAL DECK.
THE BATH HOUSE WAS DESIGNED TO HAVE A COMPLETELY OPEN AIRY FEELING TO THE ROOF STRUCTURE, REDWOOD BOARD AND BATTEN SIDING AND TILED MENS AND WOMENS SHOWERS. WE CREATED A CURVED PATHWAY TO THE BATH HOUSE TO ACCOMMODATE WHEELCHAIRS. WE HAD MIKE LAINE AND HIS SON CONSTRUCT AN ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS GATES AND ENTRY.
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