The planned house of happiness consists of 2 rooms and is built from natural materials such as wood, clay and straw. People will be able to live here for a period of time - 2 weeks, 2 months - free of charge and try out how little it actually takes to experience happiness and how little it takes to make others happy.
This search for experience will be accompanied by seminars based on Dr. Ha Vinh Tho's book "The Happiness Standard". For seven years, he was the Minister of Happiness in Bhutan, the only country in the world that has enshrined the pursuit of happiness as an indispensable goal for every citizen in its constitution.
The happiness house includes a vegetable garden and a stable with 3 dairy goats, both of which are used for self-sufficiency. Working in the garden and with the animals is part of the participants' range of experience and tasks. The extent to which plants and animals can touch and enchant us humans should be lived and experienced here - which is why we have called it the "Garden of Enchantment".
When it comes to conserving resources worldwide, we have to start with ourselves, question our inner attitude towards nature and show our respect for the creation of which we are a part. This is why the Glückshaus is complemented by an existing chapel and a small historic farmhouse with a stable and barn.
As a place of silence and reflection, the chapel offers us the space to give thanks for the abundance that surrounds and nourishes us and to become aware of our very own inner richness and greatness. In addition to silence and meditation, this space can also be used to honor and celebrate this abundance with songs - together or alone.
The small museum is intended to remind us of how carefully and sustainably our ancestors used the resources available to them in their time, be it for building their houses, for food or for technical solutions that made their everyday lives easier.
Here on 4 Linden, 6 km from the center of the city of Aachen, live 9 adults with 2 children who pursue 12 self-imposed values and goals for a simple, ecological and meaningful life.
The happiness house, the chapel and the museum complete this concept in an ideal way and will give many people the opportunity to get to know this way of life and try it out for themselves.
The chapel already exists, the Marien Garten and the Garten der Verzückung are freshly laid out and already partially planted.
We need Financial support to build the farmer's Cottage and the House of happiness, but above all to look after the guests, and are very happy to receive donations to make this possible.
The project will be divided into three parts:
1. First the chapel will be completed, together with the Marien Garten and the Garden of Ecstasy (already done)
2. Then the House of Happiness with the goat pen
3. The farmer's cottage with a barn
The contact person for all three sections is:
Andreas Dilthey
Tel. 0170 344 80 70
Email: architecture@andreasdilthey.de