The burned-out ruin of a historic home known as Seton Castle will become a contemplative garden, and an eco-friendly building downhill from the site is likely to be constructed early next year.

The Academy for the Love of Learning is preparing to resume its work as an education think tank after more than two years of delay resulting from a fire Nov. 15, 2005.

The nonprofit was midway through renovations on the nearly 80-year-old home in Arroyo Hondo when construction workers reported the fast-moving fire. Before two hours had passed, the roof of the building and much of its interior had been consumed.

Today, several stone walls and other features remain from what was a 32-room home designed by conservationist Ernest Thompson Seton. Seton, who wrote more than 60 books and helped found the Boy Scouts of America, was also an artist who painted and drew images from the natural world. His family sold the estate and the nationally recognized home to the academy in 2003.

The state fire marshal and a federal agency both ruled out arson, but no cause for the fire was ever determined. It took the insurance company about 20 months to settle the case, said academy founder Aaron Stern. In the meantime, efforts to rebuild the castle fell apart.

"Our deepest desire was to rebuild the castle as it was," Stern said. But given the near destruction, any rebuilding would be considered new construction under Santa Fe County's development rules and therefore would need to comply with modern codes. One requirement, for example, was that the structure contain an elevator, he said.

"It had so many little issues that it turned out to be completely impossible and impractical to rebuild. On top of that, the building would not have maintained its historic status," said Stern. "About a year into the whole process, we came to the realization that we better start thinking of a different way to do it."

Spears Architects designed a new building that will be situated in the hillside, just east of the castle ruins. The structure will be certified to the highest level of green building under Leadership through Energy and Design standards, and will contain about 7,000 square feet of usable space. Since thick walls made of rammed earth and adobe are figured into the formal footprint, the building will take up about 12,000 square feet, Stern said.

The academy will shore up the castle walls, clear debris and install signs that explain the history and heritage of the site, and of Seton's legacy, for visitors to ponder.

"He was a pivotal person in the birth of the conservation movement," Stern said. "Before it was fashionable, Seton was talking about sustainability."

The academy will continue talking about those issues, as well as its overall mission to change the culture of education, he said. "Our work is very much about stepping back and asking questions: What does it mean to be a human being, really? And what kind of education would be relevant to really reaching our potential as human beings?"

The new building will serve as a hub for academy programs for teachers and students. Although it is not intended to serve as a public facility, Stern said small groups with similar missions will be welcome to use the space. Twice a year, a gallery of Seton's work will be available for public viewing. The rest of the year, it will be available only to researchers, he said. A caretaker's residence and artist studio are also planned.

Carol Saunders-White lives in Seton Village on land originally part of Seton's holdings. She said the academy has been in constant communication with neighbors and that the village is supportive of its plans. "They have been extremely sensitive to (Seton's) whole philosophy about life," she said.

The academy has a permit to begin infrastructure and is awaiting final approval from the state Construction Industries Division to begin the vertical construction.

Contact Julie Ann Grimm at 986-3017 or jgrimm@sfnewmexican.com.