Popular Refuge Demonstrates Value of Silence in the City

As recent reports show, there's little opportunity for escaping the growing din of the man-made world. The popularity of a silent retreat built in the middle of D.C. demonstrates a growing appreciation for the sounds of silence.

2 minute read

December 18, 2012, 7:00 AM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


With neither the depths of the oceans nor the remote wilderness offering relief from the hum of our ever-connected world, it's no wonder that "the number of Americans going to silent retreats has been climbing," as Michelle Boorstein reports. Perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise then that a spartan 350-square-foot "hermitage" built by the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in Northeast Washington has been fully booked since it opened in October.

Advertised as a “Refuge for the Metropolitan Hermit,” the retreat was designed by Catholic University architecture students, who were asked to turn off all their electronic devices and "spend an hour alone and silent" in order to "envision the needs and rhythms of tenants who were unplugged."

"Of the 12," says Boorstein, "only three were able to do it."

"The hermitage itself looks like a structure that would be profiled in Dwell magazine: simple, sustainable modern materials and design with a clean, sparse interior. There is a Bible on the table, a cross on the wall and an intentional division of its 'profane,' or everyday, space (kitchen, bath, bed) and 'sacred' space, which is a deck with a chair on it."

The biggest challenge for many of the hermitage's occupants is not how to unplug, but what to do once you get there. As Boorstein notes, "it turns out solitude isn’t that simple. Although participation in silent retreats is on the rise, many of those preparing to spend time at the hermitage said they were so unaccustomed to unstructured time alone that they made to-do lists — then feared they were doing 'solitude' wrong and scrapped them. They agonized over what to bring and wear and eat, as if they were traveling to an exotic land."

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 in The Washington Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight