
Buddha Hall Video Updates
We are so excited about the construction happening on the Buddha Hall! Pictures don’t always do it justice. We feel the ground shaking from the heavy equipment; hear the drills, saws, and hammers; and see the flood lamps on late at night.
Now that we are in Winter Retreat, you don’t have the opportunity to come and experience for yourself what is happening. But, these short, unedited video clips give you a taste of what it is like at the site.
Balancing Beams and a Guided Tour: Jan 22, 2023
It takes a lot of skillful maneuvering to place the beams. Take a look. Also, due to the framers’ great progress in putting up the downstairs walls, Ven. Samten can take you on a guided tour through the lower level of the Buddha Hall.Â
Douglas Fir Beams
Beams made from Douglas Fir trees are the supports for the upper deck that will wrap around the Buddha Hall. Precise measuring, cutting, and shaving the surface of the upper part of the beam ensures a flat, even, and robust deck system.
Forklift Skill Required!
Snow, ice, and the very challenging physical location of the Buddha Hall are creating situations that demand planning, skill, and the right equipment. The setting of each of these beams on the metal frames attached to concrete pillars is possible due to the skill and expertise of the forklift driver.
The Lower Floor: A Guided Tour
Now that the rooms are framed, Ven. Samten can walk you through the lower floor of the new Buddha Hall.
Walls & Floors & More: Jan 9, 2023
As framing continues, downstairs rooms in the Buddha Hall are starting to take shape. And they’re working on the upstairs floor as well. Wow!
Steel Columns, Joists, & Beams
As soon as the steel columns were fastened to the steel beam, the framers were able to hang floor joists and continue framing rooms.
Laying the Floor
Laying down the plywood for the upper floor of the Buddha Hall requires strength, agility and well-timed cooperative maneuvering!
Prepping to Lay More of the Upper Floor
As more floor joists are set, more of the plywood subfloor can be set. Precipitation in the form of snow or rain is a daily aspect of the build these days.
Concrete is being poured into the faswall blocks. Mild temperatures and good road conditions allowed for the process to go smoothly.
Problem SolvingThe long arm of the concrete pump truck was not able to reach all the wall areas of the Buddha Hall, so the Young Construction team filled buckets with concrete and poured manually.
Flight of the steel beam
While the wall pour was happening, Mandere construction brought in the 850 pound steel beam. It’s attached to steel columns as the pump truck continues to pump concrete into the wall system.
Spreading the Sheet on the Slab in the SnowOur heroic construction crew continues building the Buddha Hall, even as the weather doesn’t cooperate.
While the concrete and Faswall have gotten the most attention, wood is also a critical component and will be the star of the next stage of construction.
The first inner wall is taking shape. Behind it will be a storage room and the sewing room.
In record-cold weather, the construction crew mounts boards that start forming the bottom of the upper floor.
Is it a manifestation of Tara, helping to keep out negative forces and obstacles?
Our crew happily received some scissor lifts, which are a great improvement over the ladders.
Learn from books by Ven. Thubten Chodron.
Sravasti Abbey
692 Country Lane
Newport WA 99156 USA
[email protected]
509-447-5549
Also see ThubtenChodron.org