Monuments and Metabolism

Lumbini, the birthplace of the Lord Buddha, serves as a case study illustrating the challenges and complexities of designing ecumenical religious sites. The research highlights how Kenzo Tange's vision for Lumbini, intended to foster a culture of peace and mutual respect among Buddhists from diverse cultures, faced significant hurdles in its realization. Despite its noble intent, the site has struggled to attract large numbers of Buddhist pilgrims, leading to many building projects being abandoned. Instead, it has been transformed into a leisure destination for local tourists, predominantly Muslim and Hindu, which diverges from its original purpose. This transformation underscores the difficulties in achieving pan-Buddhist ecumenism and the need to consider local cultural contexts in architectural designs for religious sites. The study also draws comparative examples, such as Suối Tiên monument in Vietnam and Phutthamonthon Park in Thailand, to further illustrate these dynamics.

McDaniel, J. T. (2016). Monuments and Metabolism. Architects of Buddhist Leisure, 30–81. https://doi.org/10.21313/hawaii/9780824865986.003.0002