Introducing Doshi Retreat

Set within the renowned Vitra Campus in Germany, the Doshi Retreat is a powerful new architectural intervention that invites stillness, reflection, and sensory awareness. Designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Balkrishna Doshi, in collaboration with his granddaughter Khushnu Panthaki Hoof and her husband Sönke Hoof, the retreat stands as both a global milestone and a deeply personal legacy.

Notably, this is the first architectural project by Balkrishna Doshi completed outside of India, and it is also the final design he worked on before his passing in 2023. As such, the Doshi Retreat holds special significance within contemporary architectural discourse.

A Path Designed for Reflection

Rather than presenting itself as a conventional building, the Doshi Retreat unfolds as a winding, subterranean path, gently guiding visitors on both a physical and symbolic journey. As you descend below ground level, the architecture encourages a slower pace and heightened awareness, allowing space for quiet contemplation.

Walls curve and converge along the pathway, creating an immersive environment where sound and form work together. According to Khushnu Panthaki Hoof, the design was inspired by a dream Doshi once shared—two interweaving cobras, a powerful image rooted in Indian spiritual symbolism. This motif subtly informs the flowing geometry of the structure.

Sacred Sound and Sensory Design

Sound plays a central role in shaping the experience of the Doshi Retreat. In keeping with sacred spaces found in Eastern temples and Christian sanctuaries, the architecture integrates a subtle soundscape that enhances the emotional and physical journey.

Discreet audio elements, embedded within concave recesses along the ground, diffuse gentle tones of gong and ceramic flute music as visitors move through the space. This sonic layer is not prescriptive, but rather atmospheric—supporting the architecture without dominating it.

At the end of the path lies a quiet contemplation chamber. Here, a hand-hammered brass mandala, crafted in India, adorns the ceiling. As light filters through, it reflects softly across the interior, reinforcing the retreat’s meditative quality.

Material Innovation with Spiritual Intent

The Doshi Retreat is constructed using forged and formed XCarb® steel, a low-carbon material produced with a high proportion of recycled steel and manufactured entirely using renewable energy. Generously donated by ArcelorMittal, the steel develops a warm, natural patina over time through controlled corrosion, allowing the structure to age gracefully and organically.

Beyond materiality, the retreat draws inspiration from Kundalini philosophy, a Sanskrit concept meaning “coiled” or “spiralled.” In yogic and tantric traditions, Kundalini refers to dormant energy at the base of the spine, which, when awakened and guided through the chakras, leads to spiritual transformation. This idea of ascension and inner awakening subtly informs the spatial progression of the retreat.

Architecture Without Labels

Interestingly, neither Doshi nor his collaborators ever assigned a formal definition or function to the Doshi Retreat. Instead, the space was intentionally left open to interpretation—free to be experienced as each visitor chooses. Solitude, silence, and introspection are gently encouraged, but never imposed.

As Khushnu Panthaki Hoof notes, it is ultimately sound—resonating through the visitor’s body—that dissolves the boundary between self and structure, allowing architecture to be felt as much as it is seen.

Visiting the Doshi Retreat

The Doshi Retreat is currently presented in the Vitra Campus Gallery and can also be experienced as part of the campus’s guided architectural tours. For design lovers, architects, and anyone drawn to spaces that nourish the soul, this retreat offers a rare and deeply moving encounter with architecture as a spiritual practice.