PROJECT 14 Lines Interfaith Meditation Chapel
LOCATION Bryce Canyon National Park, Bryce, UT, USA.
PROJECT COMPLETION DATE 5/12/2016
PROJECT CATEGORY Community College / Design Project
PROJECT TYPE Studio
ENTRANT Eric Everley
TEAM MEMBERS
SCHOOL Anne Arundel Community College
FACULTY SPONSOR Michael Ryan, Professor / Architecture
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT
The project is a non-denominational worship and meditation space set in a natural environment of the students’ choice. The goal is to develop a space that is universal and encourages connections between individuals and the between individuals and the environment. The design should strive to create a sense of spirituality, peace and contemplation through light, scale, form and nature. Designs should demonstrate a responsible relationship with the environment through the use of sustainable and recycled materials and alternative energy sources. The complex is to be used by all for worship and a variety of structured activities including religious services, weddings, funerals, memorial services, rites of passage and individual contemplation. Site considerations include the relationship of the chapel to its natural surroundings, site topography, orientation relative to environmental and landscape features, and the nature of the procession from the outside to the chapel.
STUDENT'S STATEMENT
The project is a non-denominational worship chapel set in a natural park. The goal is to develop a space that is universal and encourages a connection to the unique features of the site. The program is required to create a sense of spirituality, peace, and contemplation through light, scale, form, and nature.
Bryce Canyon is home to a vast array of odd-shaped pillars of rock dubbed hoodoos. Through the process of differential erosion, hoodoos are formed from one solid mass, a plateau, with negative space between them. The formal procession to the chapel starts with a portal, composed of platforms that step down and around the hoodoos. This starts the feeling of constriction, as visitors are led into the negative space of the Chapel. While in procession to the chapel, one feels solitude while observing the hoodoos. 14 Lines Chapel acts as a representation of the mass of hoodoos, transforming from a “plateau” into unique, repetitive shapes. Horizontal banding from the different layers of rock is incorporated into the design by using various horizontal elements and architectural details. The concept of intersecting vertical and horizontal lines is represented in the parti diagram. Likewise, this is applied to the building itself, with vertical masses juxtaposed against horizontal planes.
The landscape of Bryce Canyon National Park suggests a rectilinear building. This regular form contrasts with the negative spaces formed by the fault lines of the hoodoos. Artificial masses are located between organic forms, resulting in elements of varying sizes and heights. Furthermore, the natural forms dictate a pathway leading to 14 Lines Chapel. Designed with a goal for a LEED platinum rating, the program implements daylighting, solar energy production, and rainwater harvesting.
IMAGE CAPTIONS & CREDITS
IMAGE 1: Perspective of Entrance/Outdoor Area
IMAGE 2: Chapel Interior
IMAGE 3: Inspiration Diagram
IMAGE 4: Portal Model
IMAGE 5: Floor Plan
IMAGE 6: Chapel Section
IMAGE 7: Perspective Looking South
MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD
14 Lines Interfaith Meditation Chapel
Category
AIA Maryland Student Design Awards > Community College > Community College / Design Project
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