Binder 241109

“Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the Graduate Diploman in Architecture: Building Context & Proposal (5.0)” “Leeds Metropolitan University, Faculty of Design and the Built Environment, School of Art, Architecture & Design” DECEMBER 2009

the CHURCH of

the N O N - B E L I E V E R S

Site Options

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Pos si bl e S i t es i n M a n c h e s t e r The si t es I have cho sen in Ma n ch es ter, a re ch osen beca u s e o f the i r si ze and l o c ati o n wi th re sp e c t to the surro und i ng c ul ture. The area of ea ch s ite is very tigh t, a s I a m in terested i n l o o k i ng at sp i ri tual sp ac e, b ut re c re ati ng i t o n a sm al l s c al e, as I bel i eve t hi s will be a n in teres tin g ch a llen ge, a n d ho p e ful l y I wi l l l e ar n m o re fro m the d e si g n.

Si te 1 and 2 are l ocat ed qu ite closely to ea ch oth er in th e Northe r n Q uarte r. The N o rthe r n Q uarte r i s we l l k nown fo r i t’s c ul ture and creat i ve i ndu s try. Popu la ted mostly by ba rs , re staurants, d e si g n stud i o s, fashi o n o utl e ts and b o uti q ue sho p s.

Si te 3 i s l o cat ed o n t he ma in commercia l s treet in Ma n ch es te r, M arke t Stre e t, whi c h l e e d s d own to the A r nd al e Ce ntre.

I have chosen t hese si t es beca u se th ey a ll offer differen t desi g n c hal l e nge s. Si te s p o si ti o ne d i n N o rthe r n Q uarte r o ffe r a c o n t rast b et ween d r i nk in g cu ltu re, crea tive in du stries a n d sp i ri tual i ty. W he re as the si te 3 o n M arke t Stre e t wo ul d o ffe r a c o n t rast b et ween sho p pin g, commercia lis m a n d spiritu a lity.

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Site Options

0 Si te 1 i s l o c ate d j us t o n the e d ge o f N o rthe r n Q uarte r a n d al so ve ry c l o se to t h e c o m m e rc i al c e ntre of M anc he ste r.

I t wo ul d b e the key attrac ti o n to the stre e t as the o the r b ui l d i ng s o n the stre e t are p re se ntl y unuse d.

2

1

1

N ort h e r Q u a r t e r

2

Arn

dal

rke

t St ree

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Ma r ke t S t re e t

Si te 3 i s l o c ate d o n the m ai n sho p pin g stre e t i n M anc he ste r, M arke t Stre e t .

The c o ntrast b e twe e n sho p p i ng c ul ture and sp i ri tual i ty wo ul d b e th e m ai n attrac ti o n o f thi s si te. Tho ug h the stre e t i s o nl oy p o p ul ate d d uri n g c o m m e rc i al ho urs, ap art fro m thro u gh traffic i n the eve ni ng s.

e C ent re

Ma

Si te 2 i s l o c ate d b e twe e n seve ral b ars and re stauran t s and i s o n a re l ati ve ly b usy c ro ssro ad s i n N o rthe r n Q uarte r.

The are a i s al re ad y b usy at al l ho urs du e to the surro und i ng sho p s, b ars and re staurants. He re t h e c ul tural c o ntrast wou ld b e m o re p ro m i ne n t .

t

3

The Church of Non-believers

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0 In today’s multicultural, largely secular society, religious architecture plays a relatively insignificant role, compared to the rest of human history. However, as an atheist myself, I am aware of the “spiritual” impact a religious building, such as a cathedral, can have on a person. The architecture itself can create the feeling of “spirituality”, and it is this which I wish to explore. Manchester’s Northern Quarter (the creative quarter) is home to many designers, boutiques, and more than anything else, bars and restaurants.

I wish to place a “sanctuary” here, which offers a “spiritual” refuge, without having any religious influences.

The Site I have chosen site 2 from my proposed sites. As I believe this location, due to the high density of bars & restaurants in the immediate area, will offer an interesting social juxtaposition, and offer more potential for the success of the “church”.

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Site Location

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UK

MANCHESTER

SITE AREA: 171.52m2

NORTHERN QUARTER

NORTHERN QTR. Restaurant & Bar

KOKU-MOKU’S Coctail Bar

ALFRED E. MUTTERS Jewellers

ODD Bar

THE MARKET Restaurant SOCIO-REHAB Bar

ET

HUNTERS Take Away

H

ST

RE

G

HI

AS

M

O

TH ET

RE

ST SITE; corner of High St + Thomas St

Surrounding Building Uses

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Site Connections

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TRANSPORT INTERCHANGE

SITE

MULTI-STOREY CARPARK

B ars/C l ub s

Ca fes/Resta u ra n ts

PICCADILLY SQUARE Bus & tram stop

R e tai l

Art/Design /P h otogra ph y S tu d i o s

PICCADILLY TRAIN STATION 2 minute walk

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Site History

0 1854

1893

1906 N o rthe r n Q uarte r wa s b ui l t up d uri ng the 19 t h c e ntury at the ti m e of the I nd ustri al R evolu t ion .

The are a o ffe re d wor k and was the ho m e f or the g rowi ng i m m i g ra n t c o m m uni ty i n M anc he ste r, p re d o m i nantl y I tal ia n .

1943

1954

2009

Thi s m ul ti c ul tural b ac k g ro und al m o s t c e rtai nl y he l p e d th e N o rthe r n Q uarte r d eve l o p e i nto the ‘c re ati ve ’ q uarte r it i s to d ay.

A s you can see t he si t e a n d s u rrou n din g con tex t h a s rema in e d m o stl y unc hange d fo r the p ast 1 5 0 ye ars.

Th e mo st no t i ceab l e cha n ge is th e demolition (a n d reloca tion) o f Sm i thfie l d M arke t (1 9 7 3 ), al so the Fish m a r ket has recent l y b een con verted in to a pa rtmen ts, th ou gh the fo o tp ri nt and fac ad e s o f the b ui l d i ng we re ret ai ned b y St ep h en son Bell Arch itects . A mu lti-storey N CP c arp ark now si ts o n the si te o f a ware house ( bo t t o m r i g h t of ma p), a n d th e Ar n da le Cen tre mul ti -sto rey c arp ark has re p l ac e d wo rke rs h o u si ng ( l ef t si d e o f ma p).

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Oldham Street Methodist Church L o c at ed w i t hi n 5 m i nut es wa lk from my site, Oldh a m S treet M e tho d i st Churc h i s p o si ti o ne d o n o ne o f M a nchest er ’s b usi est streets , a n d is a lso on e of M a n ch es ter’s m o st suc c e sful c hurc he s. Tho ug h a p p arent l y ver y sm al l , from th e rela tively dis creet en tra n ce, the b ui l d i ng i s m o stl y hi d d e n b e hi nd the s h o ps o n O l d ham st reet a n d is ca pa ble of h oldin g u p to 4 cong re g ati o ns at any o ne ti m e. The b ui l d i ng i s i n use 7 d ays a week, a n d wh en n ot u sed for ch u rch pu rpose s i s hi re d o ut fo r c o m m uni ty ac ti vi ti e s a nd cl asses, i .e. sal sa da n cin g.

0 SITE

Chri sti an M e tho d i st Churc h O p e n 7 d ays a we e k Ce ntral M anc he ste r Hi g h Stre e t Lo c ati o n Ve ry suc c e ssful W he n no t i n use fo r re l i g i o us c e re m o ni e s the c hurc h hi re s o ut sp ac e s fo r c o m m uni ty p ro j e c ts.

OLDHAM ST Methodist Church

ENTRANCE OFF OLDHAM STREET

MAIN HALL + BALCONY

CEILING WITH ROOF LIGHTS

STAGE + SCREEN: previously a cinema?

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Ta d a o A n d o + G e o m e t r y

0 CROSS forms only focus

SINGLE POINT PERSPECTIVE; Th e Church on the Water

T HE CHU R CH O N T HE WAT E R The ge o m e try o f the b ui l d i ng i s suc h t h a t , usi ng si ng l e p o i nt p e rsp e c ti ve, eve ry lin e c o nve rge s o n the c e ntre o f the c ro ss.

E m p hasi si ng the i m p o rtanc e o f thi s foc u s .

GAPS are left to allow light in

PERSPECTIVE; The Church of Light

THE CHURCH OF L IGHT Ta da o An do believes th a t ab strac ti o n fro m nature th rou gh ma n ma de forms , bri ng s us c l o se r to G o d.

Th erefore, h e u s es to geome try to c re ate ve ry simple, logica l a n d soph isti c ate d d e si g ns.

Th e ‘Ch u rch of L igh t’ con sis ts o f thre e 5 . 9 m c ub e s, so th a t th e en tire bu ildin g has a rati o o f 1 : 3 : 1 .

LIGHT + SHADE

PHOTOGRAPH; The Church on the Water

GEOMETRY vs NATURE

PLAN; The Church of Light

“Spac e is not empt ines s, s pac e is s ilent , and s ilence is G o d.” TADAO AND O

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Ta d a o A n d o + S p a c e

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S PI R I TUA L REA LM I n e ach o f Tad ao A ndo ’s ch u rch es h e u ses 2 wa lls wh ich repre se nt the ex te nt o f the “ s a c red space”. A ndo h a s written “In th e Wes t, a sa cred spac e i s transc e nd e ntal .

H owever I bel i eve t hat a sa cred spa ce mu s t be in some wa y re l ate d to nature, whi c h has no t hi ng t o d o with a n imis m or pa n th eis m” (Ta da o And o , ‘Churc h o n the Wa te r ’ , i n Japan A rchi t e ct S pecia l Is su e, J a n u a ry 1991, p110). The wal l s are no t c o m p l et e around t he chu rch es beca u s e th ey serve 2 pu rpos e s; to e nc l o se the ex te nt s of t he “sacred spa ce”, bu t a lso to fra me th e s u rrou n di ng nature.

CHU R CH O F LI G HT Th o u gh al l 3 o f t hese ch u rch es a re rela tively s ma ll, th e ex ten ts o f the are a they s i t i n and t he “sacred spa ce” su rrou n din g th em is qu ite la rge.

P R E CESSI ON E a c h church i nvo l ves a gra du a l dis ta n cin g from th e ou ts ide wo rl d : 1 . Travel l i ng f rom t he na tu ra l world to th e grou n ds of th e “sa c re d ” d o m ai n.

2 . Transi t i on f ro m t he exter n a l “s a cred” doma in to with in th e wal l s o f the c hurc h.

3 . I nt o t he m ai n hal l o f th e ch u rch , from wh ich th ere is a lwa y s a vi ew b ac k to the nat ural wor l d, f ram e d by th e ex ten ts of th e ch u rch .

Th i s j o ur ney/precessi o n is key in dista n cin g you rs elf from th e o utsi d e wo rl d a nd findi ng yoursel f i n a s piritu a l spa ce.

CHA PE L AT M O U N T R O K KO

CHU R CH O N T HE WAT E R

The c hurc h is a world within it s elf, f ramed by t he ext e nts of t he s urrounding walls.

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Senanque Abbey

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Tad a o A ndo vi si t ed Sena n qu e Abbey in th e 60s a n d cites it as an i nflue nc e o n th e d esi g n of hi s chu rch es in la ter life.

Th e 12t h cent ur y ab b ey h a s n o decora tion , in side a n d ou ts ide the wal l s are b are, m aki ng t he w i nd ows a n d th e u se of ligh t very promin en t.

Se nanq ue A b b ey, Franc e

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Geometry vs Nature

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U nl i ke A nd o , so me church es a n d ca th edra ls u s e n a tu re with in the d e si g n to hei ght en t he sp i r i t ua l ex perien ce. With An ton i Ga u di n a tu re i s i nc o r po rat ed t hro ughou t h is work, a n d in th e S a gra da Fa milia i n B arc e l o na i s not o nl y used as d ecora tion , bu t ma n y of th e forms a n d str uc ture are

S AG R A DA FA M I L I A

c l e a r l y d er i ved f rom t h e n a tu ra l world.

Tortoise form the column base.

A forest of columns.

Spires like stalagmites.

The e nti re Sag rad a Fam i l i a re se m b l e s

fo u nt ai ns, t he sound o f ru n n in g wa ter a n d pa lm trees groin g up thro ug h the sp ac e,

stal ag m i te s ri si ng fro m the g ro und,

a ro und t he edge are collon a des, in wh ich a re sh rin es to va rio us sai nts. I fe e l the se

al m o st c re ati ng the i m p re ssi o n the re is

e l e ment s, i ncor po rat i ng n a tu re, a ls o crea tin g a very s a cred sp ac e.

no ‘d e si g n’.

S A N TA E U L A L I A

A l s o i n Barcel ona i s t he S a n ta Eu la lia Ca th edra l, wh ich h a s a n o p e n atri um wi th

The sound of running wa ter fills the space from the fountain and the pool.

The gothic collonades are or nate and decorated, with influences from nature.

Trees and bushes are in the centre of the atrium, though acc ess is not open.

Auditorium amongst the stalagtites in the caves of Gibralta

Bruder Klaus Kapelle

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by Peter Zumthor

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Thi s t i ny chap el by Pet er Zu mth or is very ba s ic a n d dra ws on a wi d e range o f d e s i g n i d eas. The centra l s tru ctu re compris es of ta ll logs wh i c h c o nve rge toward s a c e n t ral o p eni ng at t he top. Th e logs were th en in ca s ed in c o nc re te, g i vi ng the ou tside sh ell a geometri c flat fini sh. The l o g s in side were th en ch a rre d, g i vi ng a stark con tra s t between th e in te ri o r and exte ri o r.

Th is elemen t of s u rprise i s what g i ve s the ch a pel a sen s e of lea v i ng the o utsi d e wo rl d, a n d bein g somewh ere sp i ri tual .

The small entrance

NATURAL MATERIALS INTERNALLY

opens out inside to a space with vast height.

LAYERS OF COMPRESSED CONCRETE

EXTERNAL GEOMETRY

BRUDER KLAUS KAPELLE standing alone in its field.

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Heirachy of Spaces

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4.0

NAVE

2.0

Scale = Aisle x2

1.0

NAVE

AISLE

AISLE 3.0

BAYEUX CATHEDRAL

FLOOR LEVELS Difference is floor levels also implies hierachy of space.

1.0

0.6

HEIRACHY OF SPACES implied by the scale of the volumes.

NAVARA CATHEDRAL

1.0

HOUSE

SYNAGOGUE ASSEMBLY 0.45

0.27

HOUSE + SYNAGOGUE

SYNAGOGUE HAS PRECEDENCE OVER HOUSE The house may be inhabited for majority of the time, though synagogue hasgreater volume.

MADRASA AL-BURTASIYAT MOSQUE

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The Importance of Ceremony

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Th e vast m aj or i t y of p eople wh o v isit North er n Qu a rter a re yo ung p ro fe ssi o nal s and stud e nts, To find o ut w het her a “Ch u rch for Non -Believers ” wou ld be re l evant i n suc h an are a I starte d a n o nl i ne q uest i onnai re. Th e pu rpos e of th e qu estion n a ire was to e stab l i sh, how m any p e o p l e we re rel i gi ous, and i f not religiou s, still felt a n eed for a “reli g i o us” c e re m o ny, i . e. m arri age & funeral s.

The resul t s of t he question n a ire h elp me to u n ders ta n d th a t in c o nte m p o rary se c ul ar so c i e ty, th o u g h t he maj o r i t y of people do n ot believe in God, th ey do b e l i eve i n ‘c e re m o ny’, and i t i s c l ear l y a key p ar t o f ou r cu ltu re. Ma rria ge, a n d more obv io usl y fune ral , tho ug h i n te rest i ng l y 84% o f p eople a sked did n ot s ee a fu n era l a s a re l i g i o us c e re m o ny.

So I t hi nk a “C hurch f o r th e Non -Believers ” wou ld be very we l c o m e, and woul d ne e d to p rov i de a pl at f o r m f or n on -religiou s ceremon ies to ta ke pla c e.

Alt hough religion has t ake n a bac k s eat in moder n s oc iet y, t he c eremonies , whic h have c ome f rom religion are s t ill very releva nt.

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Precession + Spiritual Realm

0 Li ke the Tad ao A nd o c hurc he s a n d the Pe te r Z um tho r Chap e l , my c hurc h i s re l ati ve l y sm al l (si te is ap p rox. 1 7 2 m 2 ) howeve r, unl ike tho se c hurc he s m y si te i s not s e t wi thi n exp ansi ve surro und i ng s .

ROUTE TO CHURCH (Precession)

The j o ur ney to the c hurc h i s a key p art o f the d e si g n o f the c hu rc h as a who l e.

Trave l l i ng d own the ro ute s (i d e nti fie d l e ft), ge tti ng g l i mps e s and vi ews o f the c hurc h as you

SPIRITUAL REALM

ap p ro ac h, sho ul d g i ve yo u th e i m p re ssi o n the b ui l d i ng i s sp e c i al /sp i ri tual .

The g ro und s surro und i ng the c hurc h sho ul d al so g i ve c l ue s to i nd i c ate that you are d raw in g c l o se r to a sp i ri tual sp ac e.

The church needs to create a sense of anticipation as you walk towards it.

The Importance of Focus I t woul d seem t hat i n all religiou s bu ildin gs , a n d pla ces of wo rshi p , a fo c al p o i nt i s re q ui re d.

I n s ome cases, e.g. H i ndu is m, Hin du ’s a lso in clu de th e foca l po i nt, a shri ne, i n the i r own ho mes, t o hel p t hem direct th eir pra yers.

Tho u g h on an unconsciou s level I believe th a t th e foca l poin t al l ows yo u to fo c us and b l o c k o ut sur round i ng distra ction s , wh ich is importa n t for a n y sp i ri tual sp ac e.

Mos qu e

S y n a go g u e

C hurc h W he n the p ri m ary fo c us o f the wo rshi p i s ab o ut the d e i ty, the c o ng re g ati o n si t c e ntral l y and fo c us toward a fo c al p o i nt at the e d ge.

Tradi t i on a l Qua ker H ou s e

Modern Q u a ke r Ho u s e

Unit arian C hurc h I n the se c hurc he s the c o ng re g ati o n b e l i eve that e q ual i ty i s hi g hl y i m p o rtant, the re fo re, eve rb o d y si ts i n a c i rc l e, o r o p p o si te e ac h o the r.

WOMEN

MEN

The f o cus i n t hi s church

Th e focu s h ere is th e

A nyo ne aro und the

i s th e op p o si t e si d e,

cen tre of th e room,

c i rc l e m ay tal k , and that

w hi c h i s al so t he

wh ere a n yon e ma y

p e rso n the n b e c o m e s

o p po si t e sex.

sta n d u p to ta lk.

the fo c us o f the g ro up .

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0

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Labyrinth

0

D i s tanci ng t he vi si t or f rom th e ou tside world is importa n t in t he d e si g n o f sp i ri tual sp ac e s.

C re at i ng t he sense o f bein g s omewh ere ‘oth er’ to wh ere th ey have c o m e fro m , and al so tak i n g a m ent al j our ney a wa y from th e n orma lity of every da y l i fe.

Th e use o f l ayers w i t hi n th e bu ildin g, a n d gra du a lly revea lin g the se c re t o f the b ui l d i ng.

CONCEALING AND

2m grid, off set from edges of s i t e.

REVEALING

A

THE

Centre is concealed within concentric layers.

HEART

B

OF THE

Centre is approached via a spiralling passageway and y o u r e t u r n o u t t h e s a m e w a y.

BUILDING

C Centre is approached through labyrinth and then passed so that the exit also involves transition.

D

B

G

‘Basement’ level, this is the functioning side of the b u i l d i n g, with opening hours.

Building is split into 2.

Half takes you down to the counselling areas / administrative side of the b u i l d i n g.

The other route takes you upstairs to the main hall.

E

1

2

1st Floor is the ‘Main Hall’ this would be open 24/7.

This is the key s p a c e, and the space for holding ceremonies.

2nd Floor/ B a l c o n y, where people can view events happening b e l ow, i . e. ceremonies.

The s ec ret heart of t he building.