Kalistani Major History

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Ananto Bretheren open New Meeting House
Kaliburg Meeting House is 'technological wonder'
Kaliburg, Ananto District
May 3, 3924

Last week, the Kaliburg Monthly Meeting of the Society of Bretheren in Kalistan held its grand opening of its newest meeting house.  Official numbers of Kalistani Bretheren have topped 10,000 for the first time in recent memory, and the Meeting in Kaliburg, which began meeting just a few short years ago has already outgrown its original meeting place in the basement of the headquarters of the Socialist Party of Kalistan.  Beginning early last year, the Kaliburg meeting hired the architectural firm of Olaf and Korgan to design an environmentally friendly structure to house the Meeting, as well as space to serve as the Headquarters of the Kalistan Yearly Meeting.  The result was quite impressive, even by Kalistan standards.  The project was completed early in April, and the building was finally open to the public on May 1st, where the Monthly Meeting held its first business meeting.  Scholars across Kalistan have hailed the Kaliburg Monthly Meeting House as a "technological wonder" due to its many advanced features hidden behind a rather plain interior and exterior decor.  Dr. Henricka Ericson of the Architectural School of Kaliburg National University hailed the building as among the most technologically advanced buildings in Seleya.


The Auxiliary Meeting room in the new KMM building, opened early this month in downtown Kaliburg.
More than 200 Kalistani Bretheren met for an hour of silence and then an hour of Business

The structure is made of 100% sustainable building materials.  The exterior load bearing walls were of cob and plaster construction, which serves as a natural all weather insulation.  Interior walls are vented to allow lightweight and modular deployment of the walls, as well as ensure constant airflow throughout the building.  This building technique will ensure the durability and versatility required by the Monthly Meeting and any other organization seeking to use the structure.  The building is lit with natural light during the day, and solar powered batteries at night, to ensure that the building does not add load to the power grid.  In the winter months, heating, when required will be produced by solar powered radiators, which serve to heat water during the day and circulate the water throughout the walls and floors of the building.  During the warm season, the building is cooled by a natural heat sink, which cycles water warmed by the air into the earth, returns cold water and circulates the cold water through the walls and ceilings, naturally cooling the interior of the building.  This heating and cooling process will lead to a comfortable climate controlled 70 degrees, with 45% relative humidity inside the building at all times.

The building is also carbon positive.  Planted all around the building are deep thickets of bamboo, which will slowly be replaced as shady oaks and elms rise into the sky.  Additionally, the roof is designed as a green roof, with a community garden established already this spring.  The fresh food produced in the garden through Kalistan's three growing seasons will provide ample food for all who need it, and will supplement the local branch of the Food Bank system.  Ultimately, these methods help the building do its part in reducing environmental destruction, as well as carrying on the mission of Social Justice and Equity in Kalistan.  The Meeting asked that no parking lots be planned for-  the goal being to reduce car traffic to and around the building and encourage the use of non-motorized vehicles and public transport.  The Socialists in Kaliburg were able to add an extra stop on the city's bus routes to ensure that people were easily able to make if to and from the building at all hours of the day.


The Main Meeting Room in the new KMM building comfortably seats 3,000 which is about 1/3 of all Kalistani
Bretheren by current count, and demonstrates a more traditional meeting house architectural style

When asked about the cost of the building to the meeting, the Clerk of the Meeting, Diane Jefferson said:  "Well the figure stands at something over 23 million Rubles, but much of the cost was offset by recycling of waste from the construction, as well as generous grants from the Architecture firm, the Socialist Party, and the various meetings across Kalistan.  We should also note that no public money was put into the construction of this building, and the land was purchased at fair market value from the City of Kaliburg."

It is expected that much of the space in the building will be rented to various charities and social organizations in the coming years.  For example, the Kalistani Food Bank program has already leased office space in the sublevel of the building as a new Center of Operations, and other space has been earmarked for a potential HQ of the Terran Brethren General Council, which is said to be in the beginning stages of organization.