Academy Center

Relections on Seton Castle: Five Years After the Fire
A letter from Aaron Stern, the Academy's Founder

Artist's rendition of the Academy Center

 

March is moving month for the Academy!

This spring, with much excitement, we are moving into the Academy’s new Center in Seton Village. In the spirit of much of the Academy’s work, settling in to our new home will be a slow and reflective process as we get to know this beautiful building. Like any new relationship, it will take time to become familiar with all the qualities of space and light, moods and surroundings of this place that will be home to the Academy’s work far into the future. One thing we are well assured of: this move marks an amazing new chapter in the life of this organization.

Take a Tour

During the construction of the Center, we have been offering tours of the building so that people in the Santa Fe community can get to know the Academy, and feel a part of this project. We will continue to schedule tours during the next few months as a way to create more awareness of the Academy’s vision, and the programs that we are developing.

Our tours also address the unique and creative green design of the building, and the incorporation of landscape in the vision of this as a center for transformative learning.

For information about building tours, email Melissa Stevens-Briceño.

Facility Rental

The Center is the home of the Academy and all of our programs with teachers, social leaders, organizations and community members. We do not yet offer the Academy Center for rent for external use. However, we do partner with some other organizations, whose missions are closely aligned with our own, and occasionally host events, meetings and workshops. If you would like more information on our policy and whom we partner with, please contact Deepana Anderson.

The Academy Center - Profile

The 18,000 square feet of buildings are comprised of:

• Meeting Facilities – a spacious Gallery Room for conferences, performances, presentations, and trainings; warmly furnished workshop and meeting rooms, a high-tech media center, exhibit space, kitchen and dining areas, small breakout rooms and a large open-air patio suitable for meetings and gatherings.
• Contemplative Space – a dedicated circular meditation room for contemplative practices, teachings and ceremonies.
• Offices and Gallery – Academy business offices, conference room, Seton gallery and archives.
• Care-takers quarters, rooms for visiting faculty, and an art studio

Green Throughout

The Center is designed to be a Gold LEED certified building and as such will be endorsed by the United States Green Building Council. The extensive array of ‘green’ features include: geothermal heating and cooling, solar panels for hot water heating, photo-voltaic panels for the generation of electricity, rainwater harvesting, and grey and black water recycling systems for irrigation. The entire physical plant has been designed as an educational resource for sustainable building in Santa Fe, and the landscaping is being created as a unique learning environment.

• Landscaping is xeric with water provided from the roof runoff.
• A meditative garden is being created from the architecturally significant remains of the original Seton Castle.
• The majority of the property will remain in its natural state as open, green space that is accessible to the local community.

Click here for more general facts about the Center, and here for green facts.