Cloistered Religious Community
Rule of St. Clare
A fundamental asceticism informs the Monastery’s design. It is reflected in the program requirement for ‘cells,’ which are the Sisters’ bedrooms. A choir, bell tower and solarium are all designed in service of a life of prayer.
A Vow of Enclosure requires separation between the Sisters’ monastery and public spaces.
The courtyard plan accommodates prayerful processions that are part of the Sisters’ daily life.
The courtyard plan creates a Sisters’ world distinct from the outside world. The separation required by a Vow of Enclosure is tangible in the Chapel where the altar is the common ground between the Sisters and the world they pray for. In the Chapel, a sensitively crafted wall between these worlds strikes a balance between separation and unity.