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Terem of Shambhala

The mansion in the village of Izvara, with an area of 950 sq. m, reimagines the Russian terem not as a stylization, but as the functional and conceptual core of the project. The upper tier is not a women's quarter, but a library and meditation center under an asymmetrical red-tiled roof, where lancet stained-glass windows featuring "Banner of Peace" symbolism transform light into a meditative environment. Here, the terem is an assembly point: a vertical tower with panoramic glazing directs the gaze toward the sky, much like in Roerich’s work—toward the horizons of spiritual search.

The materials reveal the philosophy through the climate: a granite plinth and walls of local sandstone protect against northern winds, their thermal inertia smoothing out temperature fluctuations. Larch woodwork (treated with bio-protection) creates a "living" texture, referencing the Russian estate but without folkloric naivety. The southern facades consist of triple-paned windows in aluminum profiles: in winter, they accumulate solar heat for passive heating; in summer, deep roof overhangs provide shade. The red tile is not decoration but an adaptation: its slope (45°) effectively sheds snow, and its color serves as an accent against the northern grayness, like the cinnabar on Roerich’s canvases.

Location

Izvara Village, Volosovsky Municipal District, Leningrad Region, Russia

Project Authors

Alexey Telnov

Images

Alexey Telnov