Thesis Project | Transcendent Architecture

PROGRAM SPECIFICATIONS This thesis project will culminate with the design of a church that is rooted in historical patterns and design methods but forward thinking and innovative in the contemporary age.

The aim of the church will be to communicate the ideologies of Christian faith through its symbolic, inspiring architecture and also provide pragmatic solutions for church functions and outreach alike. Just as important to this project as the inwardfocus, is the outward.

Far too often are churches, big or small, solely inward-focused.

This design is suited for an urban context with plenty of foot traffic and opportunities for the church to connect with the public. The design will aim to integrate into the urban fabric in order to be a church outside of its ‘four walls’. One way of doing this will be incorporating meditative spaces outside of the church to give the public a glimpse of the grander scale inside the church. Along with these things, included in the program will be spaces for outreach programs such as; a food kitchen, homeless shelters and showers for those in the public with these needs.

Ultimately, like my thesis statement expresses, the primary goal of this church design is to provide any and everyone with the opportunity of connecting with the sacred— through architectural design, and furthermore encourage an experience with God. 22