Ordos Desert Temple

By:  | October - 31 - 2012

This project by Margot Krasojević has been commissioned by the city of Ordos. It is an open Buddhist temple located on the outskirts of the Mu Us Ordos desert, an area that is currently used for meditation and religious ceremonial offerings, ritual and the concept of ephemeral monument influence the design.

Buddhist temples burn incense to purify the community and its physical environment as well as aid meditation. The main idea behind the form is the unwinding of smoke and incense.

The inner structural steel core contains the Buddhas which become more evident as the worshiper walks around the design. Highly polished alluminium striated sections act as a veil similar to that of as smoke filled room giving glimpses of the statues as well as the meditation area, the structure gives the illusion of lfoating. The worshiper walks around in ever decreasing circles eventually becoming closer to the Buddhas and the prayer/meditation area. Offerings are left on ledges which are a part of the main structure, they are a part of the entire scheme stretching out and across creating a series of winding elements that define the route through the design as well as the ceremonial rituals that are taking place.

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