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Abstract-
The phenomenological experience within religious architecture has always had an important role as light, shadows and materials dictate the atmosphere and character in these spaces for spiritual gatherings (Stegers, 2008). In Christanity, symbolism and metaphors play a major role in understanding religious architecture and structures as the phrase “House of God'' is directly referencing churches, chapels and cathedrals (Coomans, 2012). Therefore, it is important to understand the phenomenological experience of sacred spaces as it does provide an insight to the spiritual connection between man and God through the phenomenological senses of architecture. Furthermore, in modern times religious architecture has experienced many changes that have been caused by the growing material wealth, concerns about sustainability and increased secularism in a growing number of countries which have changed the look of sacred spaces both interior and exterior (Kilde, 2008). As well as the role these religious structures play in modern society differs very much from the beginnings as the church was often a figurehead for state affairs. Although the former power churches and other religious structures once had has reduced the experience of their spaces for believers has grown even more intensely (Turner, 1979). This explains how light in religious buildings has been kept as an important metaphorical symbol and phenomenological aspect as God himself is referred to as ‘the light’ leading to many architects using light in their designs of church and cathedrals to further increase the connection between creator and creation (Kilde, 2008).
In this paper, Japanese Architect Tadao Ando’s Church of Light (Fig. 1) located in Ibaraki, Japan, that was completed in 1989 (Drew, 1996) will be compared to Al-Aziz mosque (Fig. 2), constructed by APG architecture and planning firm with the site being located on Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (Sebambo, 2015). Using both a modern church and a mosque will allow better individual analysis of the differences in the aspects of their design which phenomenologically affects the users of each individual space. This will provide further insight to the experience of both of these contemporary religious buildings because of their similar use of concrete materials and light manipulation as each were designed for two very different sets of worshippers in their respective societies (Stegers, 2008). However, the resulting character of each building differs greatly from each other not just because of the difference in spiritual beliefs creating two very distinct atmospheres for worship but also through their manipulation of natural elements and symbols/messages in their design. This dissertation will analyse the phenomenological experience within contemporary, modern religious architecture using Ando’s Church of the Light and Al-Aziz Mosque as case study examples.
Figure 1- Church of the Light, photographed by Dyxhoorn (2009)
Figure 2- Al-Aziz Mosque, photographed by APG (2015)
