Situated on the spur of hillside projecting westwards with expansive across the South Downs National Park, the new temple is grounded on an ancient ley line connecting Chapel Common to the old nunnery of Lyss Place.

Commissioned by The White Eagle Lodge, a spiritual organised founded in 1936, the complex has been conceived as a composition of orthogonal pavilions unified by a cloistered walkway, facing onto an open central courtyard. The arrangement of these pavilions is shifted locally, to create carefully landscaped gardens and to address the processional requirements of the group.

Within the building, the temple follows an outworking of sacred geometries and harmonious mathematical ratios imbued in the philosophy of the White Eagle Lodge, investigating the relationship between the space occupied by a complete congregation and architecture as sacred expression. More to follow later this year.

Building photography by Rory Gardiner, model photography by Ståle Eriksen.