In 1996, the International Zen Centre Noorder Poort was established as a Zen training centre of the International Zen Institute, in the tradition of Zen Master Gesshin Prabhasa Dharma. Today, the centre is led by her successor, the Dutch Zen master Jiun Hogen Roshi. It consists of a small core of permanent residents, surrounded by a network of volunteers.
The Zen centre is located on a former farm, set on nearly 10 hectares of land in the province of Drenthe, surrounded by open fields. Although it forms part of the strip development of the village Wapserveen, the farm lies set back several hundred meters from the main road. The site features numerous walking paths, ideal for walking meditation. The centre features guest accommodations, a kitchen with dining hall, and a zazen hall (meditation space). The original house adjacent to the farm is currently used as an office and also serves as the official residence.
The growth of the Zen centre made it necessary to develop a long-term master plan, with space for a new meditation hall (zendo) and an official residence for the Zen master. This allows the existing house to be used entirely as office space, creating a clear separation between private and communal life. In this master plan, the site of the current meditation hall will be repurposed to add more guest accommodations.
