In the current issue of Architectural Record, the magazine "profiles singular hubs for wellbeing," featuring the Contemplative Commons in the health and wellness issue, published in January, 2026.
"STANDING IN THE central courtyard of the Contemplative Commons on a cold November day, one can’t help but notice how the ochre-tinted timber columns perfectly match the golden autumn grasses of the Dell, an 11-acre parkland that sits west of the University of Virginia’s famed Academical Village in Charlottesville.
The pond at the heart of the Dell was critical in siting the building, as views of and access to the surrounding landscape—in particular this tranquil body of water, which serves as both retreat and stormwater management—shaped the porous new structure. For a center that aims to foster organic exploration of new ways of experiencing the world, connection to nature was key."
Article by Josephine Minutillo
Read the full story, “Mind and Matter (Opens in new window),” in Architectural Record (Opens in new window). (If you don't have access to the site, view the pdf)
Photograph: Matthew Millman