ESALEN INSTITUTE
Founded in 1962 by Michael Murphy and Richard Price on the cliffs of Big Sur, Esalen Institute is considered the birthplace of the human potential movement, spending more than six decades hosting the thinkers, teachers, and experimenters who shaped modern psychology, spirituality, and alternative education. VSE was proud to work on the renovation of the lodge, which is the heart of the campus, housing kitchen and dining facilities, event space, retail, and offices.
The project posed unique structural challenges: high coastal wind loads and extreme attention to deflection and vibration control for yoga and movement-based classrooms. It balanced a sensitivity to the existing structure and a commitment to reuse alongside new construction.
Architect: Arkin Tilt Architects
Contractor:
Photo credits: Edward Caldwell
Structural system: Woodframe
Interesting features: Trusses, Retrofit
