A multi-storey "tower of knowledge" may be built at 190 Greenhill Rd in honour of Dr Bevan Morris, a leader of the Transcendental Meditation movement.
His mother, Mrs Dulcie Morris, 94, will turn the sod of what could be a tower without residents, pending Unley Council consent. No one will live in the tower and it will be a permanent exhibition of the scientific research on the Maharishi Transcendental Meditation program.
David Seymour, director of Maharishi's Global Administration through Natural Law, said it would not be a temple.
Dr Morris is now the "prime minister" of the Global Country of World Peace. It is estimated the tower would cost about $3.5 million.
The Iowa, U.S.-based movement has made sketches of the tower and had preliminary discussions with the council. "We are confident enough to hold a sod-turning ceremony," Mr Seymour said.
Unley Council mayor Richard Thorne said his meeting with Mr Seymour was to discuss preliminary plans.