Monastery of St. Clare

New Home for Monastery of St. Clare Under Construction

After celebrating their “50 Year Jubilee”, the Monastery of St. Clare Community of Sisters realized their future depended upon the search for a new home with a new vision. Their journey began with the purchase of a 15-acre pasture with woodlands in the upstate of South Carolina.

Batson Architects, Inc. was chosen to provide full architectural, landscape, and interior design services for their new vision.

During the numerous initial meetings and interviews with the cloistered order of sisters, the seed for their “vision” was planted. The pristine project site, along with their desire to create a nurturing environment for generations to come, became the basis for our sensitive approach to the environment and use of sustainable “green architecture”.

“After outlining the sister’s unique needs and studying the natural setting of the site, we found that integrating the exterior through varying interior experiences would create the environment they desired,” said Charlie Swit the firm’s project manager. From the chapel, hospitality, and public areas to the living, working, praying, and private areas of the monastery – courtyards and exterior orientation to nature create spaces that encourage a contemplative journey to and from all areas within the monastery.

Designing for a meditative lifestyle to allow our clients to become “one with nature” has resulted in a fitting environment for the Franciscan Order of Poor Clares. These plans are the beginning of a new breed of monasteries – a first for the Carolinas and monasteries everywhere.

Watch this space for updates on the project. For a more detailed look at the design and how we worked with the Sisters to develop it, email Charlie Swit at cmswit@bainc.com or call him at 864.233.2232.