Sacred Spaces

By Jeff Greene

About Me

Studied under the Fresco Scholarship at the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture Has led large scale restoration, conservation, and new designs in sacred spaces for the last 35 years Studies from ancient texts and old masters World traveler

What makes a Sacred Space?

The goal of sacred architecture is to make transparent the boundary between matter and mind, flesh and spirit -Architect Norman L. Koonce

Sacred: From the Latin word, Sacrum, referring to the gods Sanctum: Latin for set apart That which is worthy of veneration

What makes a Sacred Space?

Language and Grammar of Design Universal Principles Exist Harmonious Elements Transcend Culture Paradise Represented on Earth Principals are Timeless Quality of Craftsmanship Temporal and Cultural Shifts

What makes a Sacred Space?

Aesthetic Moment: Revelatory Relational Evoking Emotional Response

Mount Sinai, Egypt

Ayers Rock, Australia

Devils Tower, Wyoming

Pech Merle, France 25,000 B.C. 16,000 BC

Our Lady of Lourdes, France 1858

Pak Ou Caves, Luang Prabang, Laos

Pak Ou Caves, Luang Prabang, Laos

Newgrange, Ireland Stone Age

How can we understand these spaces?

Multifarious Manifestations of Experiencing the Sacred Monumentality Awe Contemplation Reverence Intimacy Introspection Mysteriousness Humility Harmony Order

How can we understand the basic principles?

Careful Visual Study Training to See These Elements Application Across Different Languages of Design Studying History of Styles Context and Syntax

What are the building blocks?

Principles: Balance Contrast Movement Emphasis Pattern Rhythm Proportion Unity

Elements: Line Value Shape Form Space Color Texture

Color Theory
Psychological Effect of Color Contrast Harmony Atmospheric Perspective Symbolism

How can we understand these principles?

Vernacular vs. Classical

Church of Kish, Shaki, Azerbaijan 1st Century, AD

Yeil Trbe (Green Mosque), Shrine of Rumi, Konya, Turkey 1274

Shrine of Shams Tabrizi 1248

Mosque of Uqba, Kairouan, Tunisia 670 A.D.

Mosque of Uqba, Kairouan, Tunisia 670 A.D.

Samarkand, Uzbekistan 12th Century

Vank Cathedral, Isfahan, Iran 1606-1664

Agiou Pavlou (Saint Pauls) Monastery, Mount Athos, Greece 980 A.D.

Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New York, NY 1933, Kerr Rainsford

Saint Basils Cathedral, Moscow, Russia 1561, Barma and Postnik Yakovlev

Meenakshi Amman Temple, Tamil Nadu, India 1655

Borobudur, Central Java, Indonesia 9th Century

White Tara Tsering Phuntsok

Royal BhutaneseTemple, Bodhgaya, Bihar, India

Round Roof Interior: Forbidden City Temple, Beijing, China

Temple: Taipei, Taiwan

Delphi, Mount Parnassus, Greece 4th Century BC, Trophonios and Agamedes

House of the Virgin Mary, Ephesus, Turkey 33-100 A.D., Discovered 1881 by Abbe Julien Gouyet via Anne Catharine Emmerichs visions

The Cathedral Effect

[There is] a relationship between the perceived height of a ceiling and cognition. High ceilings promote abstract thinking and creativity. Low ceilings promote concrete and detail-oriented thinking. Vertical Height: Cognition of abstract concepts Longitudinal space: Procession and return of sacramental acts Auditorium space: Suggestive of proclamation and response Communal space: Return determined by intimacy of scale

Lidwell, William, Kritina Holden, and Jill Butler. Universal Principles of Design. Berverly, MA: Rockport, 2010. Print. P.38

Chartres Cathedral, Chartres, France 1194-1250

Modern
New Forms for Sacred Space

La Sagrada Familia 1882, Antoni Gaudi

Unity Temple, Oak Park, IL 1908, Frank Lloyd Wright

Bah' House of Worship, Chicago, IL 1920-1953, George Fuller & Louis Bourgeois

Hallgrimskirkja, Reykjavik, Iceland 1937, Gujn Samelsson

Hallgrimskirkja, Reykjavik, Iceland 1937, Gujn Samelsson

Washington D.C. Temple, Kensington, MD 1974, Spencer W. Kimball

Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, CA 1981, Philip Johnson

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles, CA 2002, Rafael Moneo

Cathedral of Christ the Light, Oakland, CA 2008, Craig W. Hartman (Skidmore, Owings, and Meril)

EverGreenes Work

Dura Europos
Replica at the Jewish Museum 300 B.C.

Western Wall, Jerusalem

Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit

Historic Preservation
Buildings as Vessels for Memory

Grace Church
Brooklyn, NY

Architect: Richard Upjohn Date: 1848

Grace Church, Brooklyn, NY Investigation of 1866 Decoration

Pugin, Augustus Welby Northmore. Floriated Ornament: A Series of Thirty-one Designs.London: H.G. Bohn, 1849. Print.

Grace Church, Brooklyn, NY

Grace Church, Brooklyn, NY

Garden of Eden

Grace Church, Brooklyn, NY

Eldridge Street Synagogue, New York, NY Peter and Francis Herter; 1887

Eldridge Street Synagogue

Patrick Charles Keely; 1887

Eldridge Street Synagogue, New York, NY Peter and Francis Herter; 1887

Eldridge Street Synagogue, New York, NY Stained Glass Artist: Kiki Smith

St. Francis Xavier New York, NY Patrick Charles Keely; 1887

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Albany, NY Patrick Charles Keely; 1848

St. Josephs Wheeling, WV Edward Weber; 1926

Renewal
Historical Recreations

Dome Design Illustration

Sacramento Cathedral Sacramento, CA Brian J. Klinch; 1889

Decorative Painting on Canvas in EverGreenes New York Studio

Sacramento Cathedral Sacramento, CA Brian J. Klinch; 1889

Sacramento Cathedral Sacramento, CA Brian J. Klinch; 1889

Holy Eucharist

Confirmation

Consider the buildings symbolism and liturgical use

Reconciliatio n Penance Confession

Matrimon y Holy Orders

Extreme Unction

Baptism Webber, F. R. Church Symbolism; An Explanation of the More Important Symbols of the Old and New Testament, the Primitive, the Mediaeval and the Modern Church. Cleveland: J.H. Jansen, 1938. Print.

Sacramento Cathedral Sacramento, CA Brian J. Klinch; 1889

Sacramento Cathedral Sacramento, CA Brian J. Klinch; 1889

Sacramento Cathedral, Sacramento, CA Brian J. Klinch; 1889

Anshe Emeth, New Brunswick, NJ Alexander Merchant; 1930

Anshe Emeth, New Brunswick, NJ Alexander Merchant; 1930

Brooklyn Tabernacle (Previously The Loews Metropolitan Theater), Brooklyn, NY Thomas W. Lamb; 1918

Brooklyn Tabernacle (Previously The Loews Metropolitan Theater), Brooklyn, NY Thomas W. Lamb; 1918

Brooklyn Tabernacle (Previously The Loews Metropolitan Theater), Brooklyn, NY Thomas W. Lamb; 1918

Brooklyn Tabernacle (Previously The Loews Metropolitan Theater), Brooklyn, NY Thomas W. Lamb; 1918

New Design
The Craftsmanship Still Exists

Saint Thomas Aquinas, Santa Paula, CA Duncan Stroik Architecture; 2009

Saint Thomas Aquinas, Santa Paula, CA EverGreene Plaster Studio

Saint Thomas Aquinas, Santa Paula, CA Duncan Stroik Architecture; 2009

Saint Thomas Aquinas, Santa Paula, CA Duncan Stroik Architecture; 2009

Church of the Nativity Leawood, KS Shaughnessy, Fickel, & Scott; 1986

EverGreenes Design Church of the Nativity Leawood, KS

Church of the Nativity Leawood, KS Shaughnessy, Fickel, & Scott; 1986

Church of the Nativity Leawood, KS Shaughnessy, Fickel, & Scott; 1986

Church of the Nativity Leawood, KS Shaughnessy, Fickel, & Scott; 1986

Prince of Peace Kearney, NE EverGreenes Design

Prince of Peace Kearney, NE EverGreenes Painting Studio

Prince of Peace Kearney, NE RDG Planning and Design; 2011

Prince of Peace Kearney, NE RDG Planning and Design; 2011

Prince of Peace Kearney, NE RDG Planning and Design; 2011

St. Pauls Westerville, OH EverGreenes Design Choices

St. Pauls Westerville, OH David Meleca; 2011

St. Pauls Westerville, OH David Meleca; 2011

St. Pauls Westerville, OH David Meleca; 2011

St. Pauls Westerville, OH David Meleca; 2011

Wedding Feast at Cana

St Anthony of Padua Ambler, PA

Private Residence

Saint Thomas Aquinas, Santa Paula, CA

Rothko Chapel - Houston, TX

The Rothko Chapel is oriented toward the sacred and yet it imposes no traditional environment. It offers a place where a common orientation could be found an orientation towards God, named or unnamed, an orientation towards the highest aspirations of Man and the most intimate calls of the conscience.
-Dominique de Menil

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EverGreene Architectural Arts, Inc. 2012

Thank You
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