OTHER ARCHITECTURAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL PRINCIPLES OF INTEREST

The integrity and consistency of the design is, of course, the most important priority. These general preferences are offered simply as suggestions for consideration in the designer's creative process. These are not strict requirements, but rather intended to supplement or elaborate upon the essential preferences listed previously, and provide further guidance to the extent that is helpful. If any of the following causes confusion, either ignore it or ask for further clarfication. For a closer understanding of the philosophical and architectural inspiration, the best resource remains Pir Zia's transcribed talks on the subject.

In General
• The function of this structure is primarily symbolic and ritualistic, serving as a site of pilgrimage. The design should be guided with these principles in mind. Of special interest are the use of sacred proportions with regards to celestial, spatial, and acoustic dimensions.
• An equal emphasis is placed on the overall "look" of the design as the experience of someone entering the space. The final structure must give the experience of entering a sacred space and sacred time.
• An essential spiritual practice of SOI is purification, by which we mean the transformation of thought-impressions through the use of breath and the four elements in meditation. By incorporating the four elements into the design, the intention is that the structure may also serve as a transformer of consciousness, both of individuals and of the community as a whole.

Other Possibilities
• Incorporate the concept of four Buddhas sitting back-to-back. This idea was first suggested by Hazrat Inayat Khan as a guideline for the original Universel in France. Before it burned, the pyramidal sanctuary structure was designed to reflect this idea. The rounded corners of the foundation were the Buddha's knees in the previous design. To see how this was implemented previously, see the original design sketch of the burned sanctuary. Pir Zia has, in a similar vein, suggested the four archangels (which correspond to the four elements) as structural principles, as evident in his example clay models.
• Extension of the foundation with a pavilion/platform or other design element is possible, provided that it preserves the existing foundation and stonework. (The existing foundation has both symbolic value as a bridge from the past, and aesthetic value as the quartz walls have been laid with master craftsmanship.) Any extension should be guided by sacred geometrical proportions such as the golden ratio (creating a golden rectangle), or a square root five rectangle, which would bring the foundation into basic proportion with the human body enabling any design to have a 'heart' and/or 'head'.
• Cosmic orientation. It is important that the design consider orientation in the cardinal directions, as well as the stars and equinox. One possible orienting principle would be to orient design elements toward the sunrise on September 13, a sacred holiday for the Sufi Order community.
• Inner Sanctum. The design may include an inner area or chamber, reflecting the hidden or secret quality of God (in Sufi terms, "Al-Batin," - the hidden).
• Thinning of surrounding trees, to open up the Western mountain view would improve the light at the site.