The Templo de Lares is envisioned as a meditation and research center on a steep, forested site overlooking Lago Guayo, on the border of Lares and Adjuntas in western Puerto Rico. The project proposes a new temple typology grounded in wellness, sustainability, and biophilic design, while drawing from Puerto Rican tropical architecture and Bohío traditions. The design approach prioritizes minimal site disturbance, careful integration with local ecology, and a strong sense of retreat through architecture that is quiet, climate-responsive, and deeply connected to place. Planning is informed by the realities of the region, including limited infrastructure, material logistics, hurricane and seismic risk, and long-term climate resilience, with passive strategies, durable systems, and local material intelligence guiding decisions from concept through construction.

The complex is organized as two complementary buildings at the site’s entry sequence: a main meditation pavilion and a reception and restroom structure, linked by landscape, pathways, and a choreographed processional experience. This arrangement supports both ritual use and daily operations while preserving existing terrain and vegetation. The temple architecture evolves from studies of natural geometries and sacred spatial principles, translated into a contemporary, Bohío-inspired language that balances simplicity with symbolic depth. Circular planning, generous volume, natural ventilation, shaded openness, and controlled operability define the spatial character, allowing the buildings to remain open to forest and sky while securely closing when required. Together, these strategies establish a resilient, low-impact environment for contemplation, learning, and community engagement.