Human Voice Architects

The Tzu Chi Foundation is a Buddhist Compassion Relief organization which was started in Hualien, Taiwan, in 1966. They have been present in South Africa since 1992 and appointed Human Voice Architects to design their first Temple on the African continent in 2019. It was completed for the 30-year anniversary of the Organization in this country. The Temple is a faithful version of the original prototype, in Taiwan. There is a lot of symbolism in the elements, such as the use of bamboo, where the hollow stalk mirrors humility, but it’s very strong at the same time. Or the four front columns which represent Kindness, Joy, Compassion and Giving.

These are all related to their four philosophical aspects: Education, Healing, Humanity and Charity. The shape of the roof represents the human being and community, it is the same shape as the calligraphy of the Mandarin alphabet. Grey represents the humble monk’s habit and the white used extensively on the inside, purity – the aspiration of the soul. The lotus pond is a symbol of transformation – lotus flowers grow from murky, muddy waters to make a beautiful flower.

The project was completed in June 2022 and besides the worship halls, it houses a classroom, flower-arranging room, tea ceremony room and bookstore, all to propagate the philosophy of Humanistic Buddhism, which Tzu Chi falls under. There are male and female dormitories for occasional retreat retreats, and can accommodate about 75 people. Sustainable materials were used as much as possible, especially in the FSC-certified timbers.

This project is the first headquarters for Tzu-Chi in South Africa, and there will be more upcoming headquarters in other countries, as they are present in 11 African Countries.

Project:

Jing-Si Hall, Bedfordview

Client:

Tzu Chi Foundation SA

Area:

2463m²

Completion:

2022