interfaith center

my proposal and the fall quarter for studio were wrapped up today. i presented my project this morning so all that is left is turning in my portfolio for the quarter. below is my project with explanations/reasonings behind my design:


- this highlights some key structures in Boston as well as the common building materials used in the area




-why i chose my site:
1) visibility to surrounding area
- it can be seen all the way from downtown and the cambridge area, making it an intriguing place to visit
2) establishes an emotional experience for a visitor traveling through the different zones: noisy --> natural buffer --> cleansing journey over the bridge --> worship
3) spiritual interaction with water
- high tide allows you to physically touch the water and low tide gives the sense of floating above the water



-two main aspects taken from my vernacular studies of the Puritan settlers that drove the design for my interfaith center:
1) religious views: restrictive views that did not allow for conflicting beliefs. this view is like a box that does not allow anything inside of it. by "exploding the box" i am signifying the breaking down of the hindering ideals behind religion and creating a form that represents the intentions of the structure
2) town layout: the puritan town layout was a radial scheme with houses surrounding the church/meetinghouse. this layout was successful in creating a cohesive community feeling so i applied this concept to my floor plan. i revolve all of my worship rooms around the lobby (which i have established as the most important room because it is the main place of interaction amongst the visitors).



-a radial scheme floor plan revolves around the central lobby space. this space is the main room of interaction amongst visitors and is a place where learning and the bringing together of conflicting people/cultures/religions will occur. i incorporated a cafe into the space to help with the facilitation of interaction. what better way to learn from someone than to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee or pastry at the same time.



-the sections show the functions of the spaces and the zones that one will travel through when reaching the site. also, because my building sits on the water i creating a columnar system below that acts functionally and aesthetically. when the water is low the building looks as though it is hovering above the water and when the water is high the building looks as though it is one with the water as it floats on top gracefully.