Maharishi Vastu architecture is not widely known, and the people who want it usually know exactly what they want. This article is for the people in between: the ones who have heard of it and want a plain explanation before deciding whether it is for them.
What it is
Vastu is a body of Vedic knowledge about how buildings affect the people inside them. It holds that the orientation of a building, the proportions of its rooms, and the placement of each function within it have effects, some supportive and some not. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the teacher who brought Transcendental Meditation to the West, compiled the Vedic texts on the subject into a single discipline and founded schools that train and certify Vastu architects. Maharishi Vastu is that discipline.
The three ideas
Orientation. The entrance faces the rising sun, east, or in some designs north. The tradition holds that an east-facing entrance supports clarity and prosperity, and that other orientations do not.
Proportion. Each room is proportioned to the whole and the whole to a system of measure, so that the house reads as one thing rather than a collection of rooms.
The quiet center. A Brahmasthan, meaning “the heart of,” sits at the center of the house, open and unobstructed, often under a skylight or cupola. Around it the rooms are placed by function according to the direction each one best suits.
A Vastu home also usually has a boundary, a fence or wall at a proportionate distance from the house, and is built with natural, non-toxic materials. Every Vastu home we build is also built to Building Biology standards, so the two go together naturally.
Who designs it
Seth has studied sacred geometry and natural law for years and became a student of Vastu through a friend who introduced him to Transcendental Meditation. He is not a certified Vastu architect and does not design Vastu homes himself. The design comes from certified Vastu architects through Maharishi Vastu Development, who also evaluate the suitability of a lot and prepare the site plan. We build exactly to their drawings, and we coordinate the consultants, the town, and the engineer along the way.
How a Vastu project works
- Find land, but do not buy it yet. Vastu asks for a specific orientation and a suitable site. Have it evaluated first.
- Check zoning. Confirm with the town that the required orientation and setbacks are allowed on that lot.
- Engage a certified Vastu consultant, who leads the planning of the house under Vastu principles.
- Choose or adapt a design from the Maharishi Vastu portfolio. Floor plans and facades can be adjusted within the rules.
- Bring it to us. We estimate the build with our pre-construction process, set a guaranteed maximum price, and build the house.
What it costs
A Vastu home is a custom home, so our pricing applies: from $450 per square foot for the house, plus land and site work. The design fees from Maharishi Vastu are separate and quoted by them. The Building Biology materials and systems that go with it are part of the house price.
Is it for you
If the ideas above resonate, the next step is a conversation with the Vastu consultants, and Seth introduces clients to them personally when a project is ready. If you would like to talk to us first, start here. If you are simply curious, the Maharishi Vastu Development site has the full picture.