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.
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."
FULL STORY: Silent retreats’ rising popularity poses a challenge: How to handle the quiet

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

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.

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.

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.

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.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie