The studio focuses on the design of a monastery complex for Capuchin Franciscan friars in Milwaukee’s central city. The title alludes to the radical simplicity, austerity, and restraint governing the life of a Capuchin friar — a life dedicated to serving those in need: the poor, the sick, and the socially marginalized. It is the Capuchin ethos of frugality and restrain that guided our semester-long design investigation, exploring the possibilities embedded in an architecture of profound and unapologetic simplicity.

Site Model

Ambulatory and Courtyard View

Program and Tectonic Assembly Diagram

Site Framing and Program Massing Diagram

Chapel View