Doshi Retreat

The Doshi Retreat unfolds as a winding path, inviting both physical and metaphorical exploration. Visitors move below ground level along walls that resonate with the gentle tones of gong and flute.Khushnu Panthaki Hoof explains: 'This architecture was born from a dream Doshi had of two interweaving cobras.'

In kinship with the sensory environments found in Eastern temples or Christian sacred spaces, sound plays an integral role in the Doshi Retreat. A subtle audio system – embedded within concave recesses in the ground – diffuses a sequence of gong and ceramic flute music along the path. At the end of the walkway, a hand-hammered brass mandala crafted in India adorns the ceiling of the contemplation chamber, casting refracted light into the space.

The structure of the Doshi Retreat is built from forged and formed XCarb® steel, an innovative low-carbon-emissions material made with a high proportion of scrap steel and produced entirely with renewable energy. Generously donated by ArcelorMittal, the steel naturally develops a warm patina over time through controlled corrosion.

Doshi and his partners drew upon the spiritual philosophy of Kundalini, a Sanskrit term meaning 'coiled' or 'spiralled', referring to latent energy at the base of the spine. In yogic and tantric traditions, the awakening and ascension of this energy through the chakras is considered essential to achieving spiritual transformation.

Central to this experience is sacred sound, which serves as a catalyst for expanding consciousness. While the Doshi Retreat does not feature a specific musical soundtrack, the soundscape undergirds its flowing spatial geometry. Khushnu Panthaki Hoof observes: 'It is sound – resonating through the visitor's body – that erases the boundary between self and structure.'

Neither Doshi nor Khushnu Panthaki Hoof and Sönke Hoof ever assigned a formal label to the Doshi Retreat. Instead, it was meant to present itself freely – as a space for solitude and contemplation.

The Doshi Retreat is presented in the Vitra Campus Gallery and can also be explored on guided tours.