In the 1960s, Paul Discoe was in on the ground floor of Zen architecture in the United States.
He became a student of Zen Buddhism, studying and building at the Tassajara complex in northern California. His own wood-based Zen-Buddhism architectural structures and renovations in the U.S. and Europe are the focus of this book.
Paul Discoe – An ordained Zen Buddhist Priest, Paul Discoe studied art history and philosophy as an undergraduate in the United States and later Buddhist temple design and construction in Japan. He became a student of Suzuki Roshi at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in California and after four years, Suzuki sent him to Japan to train under a traditional master builder for five years. Upon returning, Discoe studied and worked at San Francisco Zen Center before founding Joinery Structures in 1988. Having built both temples and high end residences Discoe is now focused on pre-fab housing and furniture using the urban forest.
– 01. Introduction – 02 min 21 sec
– 02. Becoming Involved with Zen Architecture – 04 min 51 sec
– 03. Designing the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center – 04 min 26 sec
– 04. Designing Other Zen Centers – 05 min 50 sec
– 05. Building a Zen Center in Switzerland – 02 min 43 sec
– 06. Transporting a Zen Center from Japan to America – 02 min 30 sec
– 07. Designing Zen-Style Houses – 07 min 27 sec
– 08. Designing Larry Ellison’s Zen-Inspired Compound – 02 min 14 sec
– 09. Building the Compound – 04 min 19 sec
– 10. Outer Buildings – 05 min 05 sec
– 11. Inner Buildings – 05 min 17 sec
– 12. The Rear Entrance – 04 min 21 sec
– 13. Other Structures – 05 min 01 sec
– 14. Ellison’s In-Lake Hot Tub – 03 min 03 sec
– 15. Designing a Manhattan Loft – 02 min 41 sec
– 16. Building a Cardboard Meditation Hall – 02 min 55 sec
– 17. Designing Affordable Prefab Houses – 06 min 48 sec
– 18. Making Recycled Wood Furniture – 02 min 59 sec
