Balkrishna Doshi's Posthumous Retreat Opens at Vitra Campus

The Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, Germany, has unveiled the Doshi Retreat, marking the first and only project by Pritzker Prize laureate Balkrishna Doshi outside of India. Designed in partnership with his granddaughter Khushnu Panthaki Hoof and Sönke Hoof, this retreat reflects Indian spirituality and Kundalini philosophy. Visitors enter a tranquil, sunken sanctuary, descending through corridors filled with the sounds of gongs and flutes from an advanced audio system. The experience culminates in a contemplation room featuring a rainwater basin, a hand-hammered brass mandala ceiling, and semicircular stone benches around a central gong. The project stemmed from a discussion between Doshi and Vitra honorary chairman Rolf Fehlbaum after Fehlbaum's visit to India's Sun Temple of Modhera. The Vitra Campus, established post a 1981 fire, showcases works by renowned architects and attracts 400,000 visitors each year.