Guanghai Cui's Maitreya Dharma: A Masterpiece in Architecture

Revitalizing an Abandoned Quarry into a Majestic Buddhist Temple

The Maitreya Dharma, located in the Xuedou Mountain Scenic Area, is a testament to the innovative use of space and design. The temple, which covers the abandoned quarry in the shape of a flower bud, creates a single continuous space capable of holding large audiences of 4500 people. The design symbolizes the belief in Maitreya, who is believed to be the kindest and would save the followers in the future.

The project's unique feature lies in its location and the challenges it presented. The site, an abandoned quarry with a height difference of about 35 meters between the highest point and the bottom, also had a North-Ring underground railway line passing through under the quarry. Despite these challenges, Guanghai Cui and his team managed to create a design that not only utilized the space effectively but also repaired the damaged topology of the site with modern architectural technologies.

The temple's realization was achieved through a single-shelled glass roof covering the colossal space, symbolizing the future "Longhua Dharma Hall". A vertical structural element was inserted in the center of the ample space under the center of the shelled glass roof for vertical ventilation, equipment, and structural reasons, connecting the ground and the roof space. The spaces on top of the central vertical structure above the glass roof are the splendid group buildings in traditional Chinese style.

The Maitreya Altar, the core of this project, is divided into four main parts: the Great Mercy Hall in the front, the Longhua Dharma Hall, the vertical structure of Sumeru Mountain, and the Adytum of Tusita Heaven at the top. Three halls representing other Dvipas are designed around the Altar, namely Purvavideha in the east, Aparagodaniya in the west of the Altar, and Uttarakuru in the north, while the Altar represents the Jambudvipa itself.

Guanghai Cui's Maitreya Dharma is not just a design project; it is a testament to the power of architecture in preserving cultural heritage and transforming spaces. The project, which was completed in June 2022, has become an important Buddhist cultural place in the Xuedou Mountain Scenic Area, the gateway to the Xuedou Mountain. It will be the main venue of the Maitreya Cultural Festival, religious lectures, conferences, exhibitions, and cultural exchange activities with large audiences.

Guanghai Cui's Maitreya Dharma is a testament to the power of innovative design and technology in redefining spaces and preserving cultural heritage. The project, which won the Platinum A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award in 2023, is a testament to the power of innovative design and technology in redefining spaces and preserving cultural heritage.