ISSUES & POSITIONS When one thinks of sacred space, their mind typically wanders to the Gothic cathedrals of old. And rightfully so, ecclesiastical architecture has been erected to inspire and influence culture as a whole, in addition to the hearts of individual visitors. “… the Christian church, with its wealth and influence as the main engine of Western cultural development, was for centuries one of the prime sources of architectural commissions and opportunities to experiment.”1 It is often wondered what makes these magnificent icons so special, or so sacred. There are certain qualities within these buildings that cause visitors to experience something transcendent of the built environment. So, what exactly are these qualities and design techniques that affect people in this way? Additionally, what is sacred space and how can it be achieved? As one begins to look at examples of ecclesiastical architecture, there are a few design methods or qualities of sacred architecture that are interwoven into nearly every design. These qualities are; light, scale, materiality and procession. Light is crucial to every architecture design, so crucial that it might be said it is not unique to sacred design.
Feireiss, Lukas, and Robert Klanten. Closer to God: Religious Architecture and Sacred Spaces. Berlin: Gestalten, 2010. 1
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