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2025 | Buch

Culture of The Sacred Space

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This book highlights the relationship between sacred architecture and tourism, specifically focusing on the role of interior design strategies. It explores how the interior design of sacred spaces can influence the tourist experience and shape their perception of these places. The book touches upon elements such as spatial organization, symbolism, material selection, lighting, and acoustics, all of which contribute to creating a meaningful and immersive environment for visitors.

It explores the architectural design, ideological motivations, and the historical context surrounding the palace's construction. The book also addresses the eventual abandonment of the project and its transformation of their uses, reflecting on the complexities of realizing utopian visions in architecture. It examines how the sanctuary's architectural design and spatial arrangement interact with the surrounding landscape, including elements such as topography, vegetation, and water features.

Moreover, it focuses on the interior design and explores the symbolism, spatial organization, artistic elements, and spiritual experiences associated with the dome interiors of these structures. The book showcases the historical context, cultural influences, and the evolution of design principles that shaped these remarkable spaces.

Also, this book investigates the transition of visionary architectural drawings from the realm of professional architects. Furthermore, it explores how architectural drawings serve as a medium for expressing imaginative and utopian ideas, and how this transition occurs in the context of architectural education.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

Religious Heritage: Experiences and Projects

Frontmatter
The Sublime in Architecture: Phenomenology of Religious Structures
Abstract
The field of architecture has long been concerned with human experience. Several architects placed users at the center of architectural thought making user experience a primary consideration. The element of spatial experience or phenomenology of space was widely discussed by Juhani Pallasmaa and practiced by Steven Holl and Peter Zumthor who tailored space, choreographed light, and manipulated texture to appeal to the senses. Phenomenology or the study of human experience, perception, and means of constructing reality is related to the study of religious structures for these structures are designed to inspire, move, and elicit sensations in the believer’s mind. In parallel, the sublime is defined as the elevation of one’s emotions, and a sensational experience that appeals to an individual’s mind. In finding the link between architectural phenomenology, religion, and the sublime, through analyzing historic religious structures, this paper summarizes the common design strategies deployed in these structures and presents them as building blocks for the construction of the sublime.
Asil Y. Zureigat
Traditional Form and Symbolic Abstraction in Synagogue Architecture
Abstract
Research on Jewish heritage sites in Europe broadly involves the evaluation of synagogue architecture under threat. Seeking to re-enhance the original state of such sites, related studies have focused on limited material and theoretical data. Therefore, the specific identity of those structures is gradually vanishing from collective memory. The last decades have seen a renewed interest in working out an alternative conception of remembrance, focusing on a representation of memory rather than the preservation of materiality. Defining tools and methods for Jewish heritage preservation is a challenging issue, as its self-identification is generally framed as an intangible expression. The article constitutes an attempt to confine certain figurative specificity of Jewish identity that synagogue architecture demonstrates and exemplify it as a potentiality for reinterpretation and construction of coherent memory discourse through new architectural form. Firstly, this paper refers to the philosophy and formal principles of Jewish religious space. Secondly, drawing on the selected architectural cases of American Congregation architecture, this article evaluates formal spatial and artistic reflections on vanished synagogues from Eastern Europe. Finally, the study examines the creative link between formal articulation and symbolic abstraction related to Jewish architectural tradition, where the heterogeneity and constant search for meaning reflected in a structure, a form, and a symbol are characteristic points of Jewish identity.
Yuliia Batkova, Domenico Chizzoniti
The Utopia of Beauty: The Conservation of the Land Art Park of Fiumara d’Arte in Sicily
Abstract
The methodological moment of the reception of twentieth-century artifacts urgently commits our era. It is characterized by an understanding of the dynamics of deterioration and by the delicate question of use and fruition in view of transmission to the future. New reflections are imposed on the criteria that substantiate the conservative act. The culture of modernity, from the beginning, has produced fragile and often ephemeral artifacts, and has been characterized by the systematic use of poor materials and industrialized and serial production processes. Once the excitement of the novelty is over, there remains only a sense of embarrassing “out of place”, of “old” and obsolete, of outdated and useless, in a society where everything is quickly consumed and just as quickly replaced by a “newer” new. This is what often leads authors to circulate photos of the work just inaugurated, and not the current image. This sense of loss in the face of contemporaneity inevitably leads to interventions of restoration, reuse and refunctionalization with which we try to cancel the passage of time and return to the value of the original idea. The investigation of a specific case, such as the restoration and the refunctionalization of the works of the Fiumara d’Arte land art park and the project of new artistic lighting, presents itself as an opportunity for reflection and comparison between conservation and reuse, performance requirements and compatibility.
Cinzia Accetta
The Surge of Brutalist Architecture in Southwestern Oklahoma During the Cold War Era
Abstract
Following the international events related to the end of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War era, Southwest Oklahoma saw the significant expansion of military installations and associated local economies between 1946 and 1989.
As Oklahoma communities were impacted by the new wave of both military and civilians personnel moving to the military installations located stateside in the common effort to defend the nation against conventional and nuclear attacks during the Cold War Era, the necessity to reorganize, adapt, and convert existing facilities, as well as to provide new solutions to the new residential and recreational demands, became a constant priority of the United States Department of Defense and local municipalities.
These efforts culminated in the commencement of Late Modern facilities conveying a renewed ethical approach focused on human needs, forcing a transformation of the previously accepted aesthetical conventions. It soon appeared clear that architecture was to assume a new role in society, thus challenging the established pre-World Way II views; and that this new perception would require for architectural and urban proposals the employment of peculiar physical characteristics and stylistic forms, which came to typify the Brutalist Movement and how urban environments were envisioned in civic design.
Within the described contextual framework, the construction of military buildings, housing developments, and support facilities via large-scale plans has been traditionally connoted as an attempt at social utopia, interpreting the forma mentis of the war and internalizing the common stigmas of the working Americans. This paper aims at reflecting on the meaning and pragmatic reasons behind the development of the Brutalist Movement—with its own history, ideology, and sentiments—in Southwest Oklahoma; as well as at analyzing its noteworthy social and forward-thinking qualities, which resulted in the apparent withdrawal of most of the utopic and lustrous traits of the architecture of the Modern Movement.
Selena Bagnara Milan
Adaptive Reuse of Sacred Architecture in New York City
Abstract
Reuse conveys new intended use for abandoned sacred architecture, allowing them to change their function to new needs. Adaptive reuse allows people to adapt buildings to new use requirements and preserve the cultural significance of sacred architecture, rediscovering its history and preserving the dominant building characteristics. The research aims concern offers a new approach to the reuse intervention to safeguard and, where possible, increases the architectural values, by seeking new balances between conservation actions and transformations necessary for adaptation to new use. Furthermore, preservation, renovation, and performance improvement of buildings consequently enhance the neighborhood in which they are located. According to this interpretation, the methodology applied looks at the sacred building as a “resource” to be safeguarded for its intrinsic potential and its cultural identity. Nevertheless, the absence of clear and shared criteria for defining a balance between the conservation and transformation of sacred architecture has given rise to numerous reuse interventions of poor quality. This generates two opposite phenomena: numerous abandoned sacred architectures that would require conservation interventions to remain unused or reuse interventions that operate substantial transformations determining the pre-existing structures’ identity loss. This paper provides a comparison between three American case studies in which the compatibility assessment method allows the choice of an appropriate solution between different hypotheses of technological and/or functional design. To this end, various indicators are taken from literature, including users of this type of real estate and its relationship with the community as a sustainable adaptation example of a compatible function. The outcome returns the way to address the optimal choice between the proposed alternatives according to which the compatibility of its cultural significance in the structure’s functionality must be verified.
Francesca Ciampa, Stefania De Medici, Maria Rita Pinto
Holy Homes, Hollow Houses: The Evolution from Sacred Dwelling to Unsettled Domesticity
Abstract
This paper delves into the profound transformation of the home from its historical conceptualization as a sacred, communal sanctuary to a segmented, individualistic entity. It explores how societal shifts towards individualism and the rise of digital technologies have disrupted traditional dwelling patterns and eroded the sacredness traditionally associated with homes. These changes pose significant challenges to the prevailing paradigms of residential architectural design, which has primarily been rooted in the idea of the home as a communal, sacred space. The paper concludes by posing critical questions about the future of residential architecture, urging a reimagination of design that can adapt to changing dwelling patterns, restore the sacredness of homes, and balance the need for individual spaces with communal connectedness. This exploration invites a reconsideration of what it means to be at home and how residential architecture can respond to the changing societal norms and technological landscapes.
Mohamed Hesham Khalil
From Utopia to Historia: The Journey of Islamic Art from the Spoken Word to the Written Calligraphy
Abstract
Civilizations throughout history had built religious buildings to fulfill their utopian ideals, to link the realistic world to the spiritual one and its signs. Greeks had their deities occupying the center of their temples, Egyptians engraved the names, images, and icons of their Gods; Indians crafted their deities and placed them in their temples and at their homes. In all these cultures, the notion of a supreme God is physically materialized. This has been clearly reflected in the history of architecture. It is unthinkable to perceive Greek, Egyptian, and Hindu temples without the physical presence of their deities.
In historical terms Utopia is associated with Plato Utopia is a paradigm of knowledge, ethics, social, and self-governance. Different societies develop their settlements and utopian ideals of cities according to their historical and cultural context. The notion of Utopia has infiltrated into the Islamic mind through Greek philosophers during the ninth and tenth centuries (Greek word for Utopia) and it has developed into an intellectual movement since then. Nevertheless, in Islamic architecture, the concept of Utopia manifested in mosques and tombs was translated not through figurative or pictorial representation. It is through calligraphy of the spoken word “the revelation” that architecture (sacred or profane) has been manifested.
This paper is divided into two parts. The first part will exhibit how archaic cultures across the world (Egypt, Medieval Europe, and Hindu) have perceived the sacred and how it was represented in their architecture. The second part is devoted to the notion of the sacred in Islam and how it was transmitted into architecture. It highlights the relevance of the notion of the vocal word revealed to the prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) in the Quran and how it was transmitted to architecture through calligraphy. The paper postulates how the concept of the vocal (the sacred word) affects the design of the visual (the written word): from the spoken to the written; calligraphy and how both complement each other.
Fatima M. Reda, Hani Alqahtani

Religious Heritage: Senses and Meanings

Frontmatter
Sacred Sikh Architecture as Places of Spiritual Connect: A Case of Golden Temple, Amritsar
Abstract
Architecture as a canopy for sustenance of life, has mostly been understood as the physical manifestation to provide safety, comfort and solace. The built forms for various building typologies such as Residential, Commercial, Recreational, Industrial etc. respond to the needs and expectations of users and owners, but the architecture of sacred spaces has many more layers of experiences and emotional responses that reach out to one’s spirit and soul. Sacred architecture of all faiths mostly incorporates architectural elements and spaces that respond to its belief systems, rituals and philosophy for the upliftment of the human spirit. Architecture in this dialogue has the capacity to leave meaningful impacts on worshippers, by registering impeccable impressions that turn into memories over time. This unique attribute of sacred architecture helps transform these “Spaces” into “Places”, where worshippers revisit for spiritual continuity. The architectural attributes contributing towards the enhancement of human spirit need to be explored in the discourse of Sacred Sikh Architecture, i.e., Gurudwaras (places of worship in Sikh religion). The Golden Temple Amritsar, being the most revered Gurudwara of Sikh faith is believed to possess the hidden power to uplift the human spirit and comfort the soul. The aim of this research is to study the architectural elements and spaces in the Golden Temple Amritsar that generate spiritual experiences of placemaking through the engagement of human senses. The current study shall use qualitative as well as quantitative methods for addressing research inquiries and shall be conducted through a review of literature for positioning the research on a firm ground. The research shall include the identification of placemaking characteristics in Golden Temple Amritsar and a survey questionnaire for evaluating related spiritual experiences. This research is significant in understanding the potential of architectural elements and spaces as steering forces in shaping spiritual experiences in the Sacred Sikh Architecture of Golden Temple Amritsar.
Jatinder Kaur
Between Heaven and Earth: Dome Interior from the Hagia Sophia to the Süleymaniye Mosque
Abstract
This paper explores the striking similarities in the dome interiors of the Hagia Sophia and the Süleymaniye Mosque, two iconic structures in Istanbul. Despite their divergent cultural origins and the passage of centuries, these buildings exhibit remarkable resemblances in their interior decoration, particularly in their domes and pendentives. The study employs a diachronic comparative analysis, combining literary research and visual analysis to delve into the cultural, political, and religious contexts that shaped these architectural masterpieces. By examining historical records and visual evidence, the paper uncovers the shared elements, influences, and divergences in the interior decoration. This interdisciplinary approach sheds light on the interplay between art, architecture, and religious beliefs, offering valuable insights into the enduring significance and transcendent nature of these structures.
Dennis Olaf van Dijk
The Significance of the Relationship of the Sanctuary of Sidi Bou Mediane in El-Eubbad in Tlemcen with Its Surrounding Natural Landscape
Abstract
The period of the fourteenth century is regarded as one era of political crisis and fragmentation of the Maghreb in small states. This climate had contributed to the emergence of a religious philosophy soufi in the Maghreb, responsible for a mysticism dedicated to the pious people of Islam called Ghaouts.
The ribat El-Eubbad is a small village built on a mountainous escarpment on a course of middle height in the south-east of the city of Tlemcen (Algeria). The landscape of the small borough is composed of strong with the multiple gasolines papering the walls of the mountain and sources of water falling in cascades in pits of more than 300 m of depth. At successive times and under different sovereigns, the urbanistic and architectural strategy was strongly impregnated by an ideology carried by an ideal naturalist, by integrating their achievements in the natural landscape.
Thus, the crowned character of the architecture of the sanctuary of Sidi Bou Mediane and the landscape qualities of the site of El Eubbad had conferred to him the statute of place, favorable with meditation and contemplation. Our method of historiographical analysis focused first on the identification of the attributes of the architecture of the sanctuary then the recognition of the forms of integration of the building in its landscape environment.
Our method of historiographical analysis focused first on the identification of the attributes of the architecture of the sanctuary then the recognition of the forms of integration of the building in its landscape environment. The main purpose of this paper is to show how the natural site of the village of El Eubbad was raised by made happy geometrical handling establishments of the sanctuary of Sidi Bou Mediane in nature, releasing a spiritual load confirmed by the aesthetic character of its architecture.
Youcef Chennaoui, Nacer-eddine Kassab
University Chapel: Project for an Interfaith Space in Perugia at the Rectorate Gardens
Abstract
The proposal aims to investigate the dimension of the sacred in the area of the Rectorate Gardens of the University of Perugia: a special area both because it is located in the heart of the historical center of the Umbrian capital and because it is accessible not only to students but to the entire community. The topographical profile returns a system characterized by a steep slope, whose figurative identity value is strongly linked to the relationship between the architectural and vegetation components, so much so as to shape a veritable panoramic esplanade overlooking the northern Etruscan walls. In this sense, the context of the Gardens can be defined as belonging to the dimension of ‘between’: between mountain and valley, between nature and artifice, between academic life and city life. In 2022, by special decree, the ‘Regional Commission for the Cultural Heritage of Umbria’ declared the place of ‘Cultural Interest’. On the occasion of the preliminary restoration and redevelopment project dedicated to the Rectorate Gardens and promoted by the governance of the University, we question the understanding of this context as a possible space of the sacred, giving the area a collective dimension of communion and encounter. An interpretation also reaffirmed by the presence of the original settlement of the Olivetan order. From a methodological point of view, the contribution is planned in two main stages. A first phase of critical analysis dedicated to the context under study in terms of both natural and architectural heritage; a second phase of didactic-design experimentation that critically presents the results of the activity dedicated to the study of an interfaith sacred chapel. Within the recomposition project of the area, the Rectorate Gardens are thus interpreted as a place open to celebration, according to the multiple forms of rituality.
Paolo Belardi, Giovanna Ramaccini, Camilla Sorignani
Concerning the Spiritual in Architecture: Four Churches by Carlo De Carli
Abstract
By comparing four buildings designed by Carlo De Carli in the decade starting in the mid-1950s, this essay aims to develop a perspective on the architecture of sacred spaces that is also peculiar to a way of meaning architecture in a broader sense. Carlo De Carli, their designer, was a key but little-studied figure in Italian post-war architecture. In his work, he was able to interweave theoretical reflection, publicist activity, design practice, teaching, and the promotion of artisanal production structures into a unified vision of architecture as a spiritual quest. The churches that he designed (Sanctuary of Our Lady of Tears, Syracuse, 1956–1957; St. Biagio, Monza, 1960) and built (St. Ildefonso, Milan, 1955–1956; St. Girolamo Emiliani, Milan, 1963–1965) are the paradigmatic realization of an idea of architecture that embodies the most profound sense of the communities that inhabit it, showing it as an element of value in the social, urban, cultural, economic contexts with which it interacts. By studying the original materials in the Archives (kept at the Polytechnic of Milan, Diocese of Milan, and Parish of San Biagio Monza) and redesigning the projects, the essay aims to interweave De Carli’s thought with a reading of the formal dynamics underlying his architecture. Thus, it intends to verify his fundamental idea that architecture is born imbued with life experiences, which it welcomes and of which its concrete built forms (space, matter, light, and color) become a true analogue, a revealer of meanings and an authentic donation of sense, bringing out a point of view on architecture for the sacred, but also on architecture tout court, that is still of topical value both in the practice of the project as in its teaching.
Roberto Rizzi, Marta Averna
Sacred Architecture and Touristic Consumption: The Role of the Interior Design Strategy
Abstract
Sacred places are significant landmarks in Italian art cities and villages. They serve as a reference for believers and as a place of memory for the local community. However, the cultural richness of well-known churches is often at risk due to excessive tourism. Many monumental churches are merely seen as must-see places by external visitors, similar to secular monuments or museums, rather than being viewed as living religious sites. This mass tourism negatively impacts the sustainability of churches and often leads to modifications in the use of spaces to meet tourists’ needs.
This paper explores the architecture of sacred places that attract high tourist traffic. The paper analyzes three Italian churches from three tourist cities of different sizes: Santa Maria Novella in Florence, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Siena, and Santa Maria Assunta in Volterra. It examines how they engage tourists, the museum-like signs, and considers the cultural significance of these sites and their impact on the urban environment. Currently, these churches live a sort of dichotomy between musealization of the site and place of religion. The paper sustains that a well-designed interior setup might contribute to the Sustainable management of the heritage and be part of the Open space for culture, answering two indicators of the strategic area Environment and Resilience of the UNESCO’s Culture 2030 Indicators (Sustainable Development Goals).
Giada Cerri
The Construction of the Palace of the Soviets as a Creation of a Utopian Symbol
Abstract
The paper will focus on the Palace of the Soviets, and the mystery of why it was never built. The current consensus is that no funds were found. But at the same time, many complementary architectural objects were built, so why did the construction of the Palace barely move forward? The objective of the paper is to demonstrate that the failure was due to the conflict between two types of logic of connection-building. The actor-network theory of John Law was used to answer the question. His idea of the existence of every object simultaneously in two spaces (physical space and network space) shows in what cases an object assembly can “fall apart”. The main sources for the study were: promotional literature, which was produced in the early stages of the construction of the object, and historical studies. It was found that the creation of the Palace as the utopian socialist symbol became a contradiction to the order of constructing a Palace as a physical object.
Nina Viaznikova
The Transition of Visionary Architectural Drawings: From the Paper Architecture of Architects to the Graduation Designs of Japanese Architecture Students
Abstract
Architectural drawings have played an important role as a means of expressing architectural design; in the early twentieth century, futuristic architectural drawings could be seen from architects such as Richard Rummell and Harvey Wiley Corbett. Subsequently, whether in architectural groups like Archigram or individual architects such as Le Corbusier or Zaha Hadid, the rise of experimental and visionary architectural design led to numerous innovations in drawing techniques. This also elevated the status of architectural drawings as independent works of art. Although after 1990, due to the popularization of CAD and the complexity of architectural projects, architectural firms have gradually become less likely to use architectural drawings to represent their designs, they still have their own unique advantages. To this day, many architectural drawings can still be seen in the graduation works of architecture students, despite the rapid development of digital design. By analyzing architectural drawings from several architects and assessing the impact of societal and technological developments on these changes, this study evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of architectural drawings in conveying visionary architectural designs. Through an analysis of architectural drawings by Japanese architecture students, the research findings indicate that, despite the widespread use of digital design tools, traditional drawing methods continue to play a crucial role in architectural conceptualization and communication. The study concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for future architectural design and representation, emphasizing the ongoing significance of drawing as a tool for architectural innovation and creativity.
Lei Tan, Tomoyuki Tanaka, Jiahao Liu
Sacred Untold: Immersive Design Methodologies
Abstract
The significance of sacred spaces in architectural development is evident, and the challenges faced in constructing those span centuries. While churches in many countries serve as historical witnesses, Egypt's built landscape is rich with diverse churches and mosques, seamlessly integrated into everyday life. Its presence is an impetus for the studio and stimulus to raise questions on how to design them in a contemporary way. How should we approach the design of sacred spaces in an architectural studio at university? Should consideration be given to the religious context that a design aims to elaborate?
Introducing “SACRED UNTOLD,” a design methodology that employs intuitive and immersive tools. The aim is to uncover and cultivate future architectural positions that transcend again conventional considerations of sustainability, construction, and materials. Drawing inspiration from the diverse sacred places of Egypt, “SACRED UNTOLD” focuses on unearthing existing yet unformulated cultural tendencies within the next generation of architectural students. Amidst the daily presence of Islam, Coptic Orthodox Church, and Latin Church in our surroundings, the students’ designs challenge conventions. The results suggest a spectrum of sacredness, from personal and human experiences to community-inspired spatial arrangements that echo their constituting surroundings. Unlike the visually perspective-oriented staging of sacred space prevalent in Western churches since the Renaissance, SACRED UNTOLD concentrates on the phenomenon itself in architectural and spatial design. Utilizing storytelling, film, and virtual reality, the methodology emphasizes a conceptual and multifaceted design approach, encouraging individual, intuitive exploration of the sacred space. In virtual reality, students immerse themselves in the environment they are creating, allowing for a more profound understanding of the impact of their design choices on the user's experience. SACRED UNTOLD aims to address the conceptual, atmospheric, phenomenological, and communal aspects of sacred design.
Christian Schmitt, Christiane Banna, Nouran Mohamed
Metadaten
Titel
Culture of The Sacred Space
herausgegeben von
Olimpia Niglio
Copyright-Jahr
2025
Electronic ISBN
978-3-031-69634-3
Print ISBN
978-3-031-69633-6
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-69634-3