Review Process
The Sakyong’s Advisory Panel on Shambhala Environments was created to foster a deeper understanding within our community of the nature of genuine Shambhala environments, and to strengthen our ability as a society, to manifest those environments. The Panel was established based on the wishes of the Sakyong, and it’s mandate is to assist the community as a whole, by reviewing all projects of any substantial scale, throughout the Shambhala mandala within the City, Practice, Retreat and Land Centers. Therefore any Centre considering relocating, expanding or renovating its facilities, should contact the Panel to determine formal review process will be the most appropriate for their project. The scope of the Panel’s involvement will typically include one or more of the following aspects of a project:
General Review
A General Review applies to a Centre that wishes to include the Panel in the evaluation of their current situation, with regards to any number of options they might be considering in terms of future development or improvements. The Panel will need the same documentation as for the Preliminary Review.
Preliminary Review
A Preliminary Review applies to Centres that are looking to buy or lease a particular building or a property, and should occur before entering into any lease or purchase agreements. This review would typically be done in conjunction with the Centre’s K’an-yü/Feng-shui Evaluation, and in relation to any Feasibility Studies, General Programming, or Conceptual Designs that the Centre may have done for the property or building. The Panel will need the following:
- Any existing conditions documentation of the property or building including: site plans, floor plans or building elevations, as well as a selection of photos that depict the neighbourhood, the site or building itself, and its interior spaces.
- The K’an-yü/Feng-shui Evaluation of the property or building.
- Any Feasibility Studies, General Programming, or Conceptual Designs that the Centre may have done for the property or building
Schematic Design Review
A Schematic Design Review applies to Centres that have selected their Design Team and started the design process for their property, building or floor plans, and should be done at the completion of the Schematic Design (Site Planning included if applicable) for the project. The Panel will need the following:
- The Schematic Design Documents including drawings in plan, elevation and section that are to scale, along with a preliminary selection of building materials for the project, as well as any Site Planning Documents.
- A K’an-yü/Feng-shui Evaluation
Final Design Review
A Final Design Review applies to Centres that have completed the Design Development phase of their project, and before submitting for building permits or completing Construction Documents. The Panel will need the following:
- The Design Development Documents (including all related Design Services)
- A K’an-yü/Feng-shui Evaluation
General Note on Services and Fees:
The Panel’s aim is to provide its basic advisory services on a voluntary basis as an offering to the Shambhala lineage and mandala. Depending on the scale and complexity of a project, the Panel may not be able to voluntarily support a complete and thorough review process. This would be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Where it is not possible to provide a full service voluntarily the Panel strongly encourages the Centre to hire a Shambhala professional as part of their design team. This helps ensure the best understanding of the Guiding Principles involved in creating a building or environment that expresses our unique Shambhala culture.
Along those lines, panel members may be hired as part of the design team at the discretion of the local leadership, and at a fee to be determined by both parties. Please go to Design Services on this site for more details about hiring your team.
For questions or to schedule reviews, please contact Stephen Vosper, chair of the Panel.
