Religious architecture has historically played a primary role in both the study and the development of architectural practices and theories. Undoubtedly, this influence is tied to the position which religious institutions have historically held in shaping cultural values. However, American culture has transitioned into a position where religious organizations are often no longer the primary authority for determining cultural, social, and interpersonal values for many Americans. Additionally many individuals have, for one reason or another, become uncomfortable or feel unwelcome in traditional church structures due to the historical hierarchies associated with them, the innate formality of the spaces, the perceptions of expected behaviors, or discomfort with language and interpretations of spirituality or religion. These changes have had a major impact on the economic and functional dynamics to which religious institutions must now adhere. While churches remain a venue for architectural expression, they no longer hold the position as the primary source for considering architectural culture; which has, for the most part, transitioned to museums, cultural, commercial, or office buildings. It is clear that the manner in which religious organizations operate and conduct themselves must therefore evolve in order to respond to these new forces, and so must the architecture which houses them. Only by adapting to these new pressures can these religious organizations hope to remain relevant and active in the changing cultural climate where religious institutions and religious individuals are often greeted with skepticism and suspicion. Many religious institutions have already recognized this need for change. The manner in which they hold their services and reach out to the community has changed in response to new cultural mores and trends. Architecture, as the structure which houses these changing religious organizations, must adapt to these new situations as well. The architecture houses, and therefore must adapt to, the new processes and practices which must function within these institutions. Architecture however, must also take into account other facets of the organization beyond just these functions. It has the ability to achieve many other objectives which can support the ongoing goals of these contemporary religious institutions. Since architecture acts as one of the fundamental outward faces of these organizations, it has a major and fundamental influence upon how the public perceive a religious institution. It is the intent of this thesis to investigate how church architecture may facilitate community oriented goals. These goals include, but are not limited to: creating an environment where individual exploration of spirituality becomes an accepted part of community activities, promoting localized economic development, instilling within the community a sense of value and ownership to generate community pride and stakeholdership, increasing community outreach, and the development of other programs which activate and benefit the local area. With regards to the architectural exploration, the intention is to approach this by addressing questions concerning perception, style, outward appearance, proximity, and operation. This includes consideration of programmatic functions which, while they may not be inherent to churches, may be useful in generating community interaction and intersection. Additionally, architecture has certain psychological capabilities which may be utilized to address personal reservations regarding churches. By considering what architectural elements are symbolic of religious organizations and strategically employing or eliminating them, one can build upon or counter the impressions which may exist about what a church is or should be. The examination of these issues within the context of an abandoned local mill building expands the richness and potential for this type of investigation by exploring its fundamental contributions to the historic development of the community. By introducing a spiritual component to this historically secular building one alters associations and defuses potential misgivings, as well as highlights a more welcoming avenue for promoting spiritual exploration within the community. By promoting adjacency and proximity of everyday activities and beneficial programs to hospitable spiritual activities, the architecture has the potential to meld different uses together. Additionally, the community aspect of this project may have the capacity to expand, specifically when considering how architecture may have the potential to promote a spiritually open community. Furthermore, by considering these goals in the context of an abandoned mill building, it is hoped that parallels can be made between the historical significance of the structure, and that of religion; and that by studying the two in tandem one can elevate the status of both. The focus here is not upon elevating religion or history for their own sake but rather in lifting them up as symbols of the communities which they serve and using them to lead development and revitalization in their locations.

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A partir de sua fundação em 689/8 a.C. Gela, pólis siciliana, iniciou a ocupação do território (a khóra) ao redor da área urbana (a ásty). No século VI a.C. essa ocupação atingiu seu ápice, extendendo-se pelos vales dos rios Salso, Gelas-Maroglio e Dirillo e pela região montanhosa a norte da planície de Gela, quando entraram em contato tanto com os nativos quanto com outros gregos estabelecidos nas regiões de fronteiras. Nota-se a relação entre a definição desse território que os gelenses procuraram ocupar - com intenções de uso agrário - e a fundação de santuários, fato que se percebe em diversas pólis gregas tanto balcânicas quanto coloniais, mas que se mostra com muito mais clareza nas apoikias, e com especial ênfase em Gela. Assim como é notável a relação entre esses santuários e a vida política gelense. É sobre esse processo de definição política do território através do domínio religioso representado pelos espaços sagrados, assim como sobre os modos de contato e transformação das sociedades que se procurará trabalhar. / From this founding in 689/8 B.C. Gela, a sicilian polis, began the occupation of their territory - the khóra - around the urban center - the ásty. In the sixth century B.C. this occupation reached its maximum, extending through the valleys of the rivers Salso, Gelas-Maroglio and Dirillo, and through the montainous region north the Geloan Plain; when in contacted whith natives populations and with other Greeks established in the frontiers. It is remarkable the relationship between the definition of this territory that the geloans sought to occupy - with intentions of agrarian use - and the founding of sanctuaries. What we see in various balkan and colonial poleis, but that much more visible in the apoikias, Gela especially. As is noteworthy the relationship between these sanctuaries and the geloan political life. Is about this process of political definition of the territory through the religious domain represented by the sacred spaces, as well as on the modes of contact and transformation of societies that seek to discuss.

A partir de sua fundação em 689/8 a.C. Gela, pólis siciliana, iniciou a ocupação do território (a khóra) ao redor da área urbana (a ásty). No século VI a.C. essa ocupação atingiu seu ápice, extendendo-se pelos vales dos rios Salso, Gelas-Maroglio e Dirillo e pela região montanhosa a norte da planície de Gela, quando entraram em contato tanto com os nativos quanto com outros gregos estabelecidos nas regiões de fronteiras. Nota-se a relação entre a definição desse território que os gelenses procuraram ocupar - com intenções de uso agrário - e a fundação de santuários, fato que se percebe em diversas pólis gregas tanto balcânicas quanto coloniais, mas que se mostra com muito mais clareza nas apoikias, e com especial ênfase em Gela. Assim como é notável a relação entre esses santuários e a vida política gelense. É sobre esse processo de definição política do território através do domínio religioso representado pelos espaços sagrados, assim como sobre os modos de contato e transformação das sociedades que se procurará trabalhar. / From this founding in 689/8 B.C. Gela, a sicilian polis, began the occupation of their territory - the khóra - around the urban center - the ásty. In the sixth century B.C. this occupation reached its maximum, extending through the valleys of the rivers Salso, Gelas-Maroglio and Dirillo, and through the montainous region north the Geloan Plain; when in contacted whith natives populations and with other Greeks established in the frontiers. It is remarkable the relationship between the definition of this territory that the geloans sought to occupy - with intentions of agrarian use - and the founding of sanctuaries. What we see in various balkan and colonial poleis, but that much more visible in the apoikias, Gela especially. As is noteworthy the relationship between these sanctuaries and the geloan political life. Is about this process of political definition of the territory through the religious domain represented by the sacred spaces, as well as on the modes of contact and transformation of societies that seek to discuss.

This project is a site-specific ethnographic study of a culture around a community water tank that serves as a value-driven piece of architecture and has become an inconspicuous tourist attraction in the city of Växjö due to its peculiar acoustic property. At the onset, I draw parallels between an ancient underground temple called the Hypogeum located in Malta, where the physical dimensions of the space similarly shaped sensorial experiences in more nuanced ways than conventional architecture of its time. The core of my work here has three explorative angles. One, where I embark on interdisciplinary research approaches, to conduct field studies and investigate ways to empirically test how the physical properties of spaces shape cognitive impressions. A crucial need to express spirituality within an academic framework is proposed and a method of non-intentional design (NID) is introduced as my driving process for the study. Two, as a digital story, I conduct interviews and make the culture of this space visible to the public through an instagram account called #echoingawareness. And three, I present some of my experience building this slow and steady relation with the local municipality with a proposal to provide space on the urban planning table for bottom-up approaches where voices from such sacred spaces can be made more inclusive. I hope this could be a useful resource as a transdisciplinary study for future planning of urban architecture and design.

The use of light has always been a vehicle of symbolic meaning and spiritual experience in religious spaces. Depending on culture and religion this use differs, but in any case, the connection between the built form, the architecture and the history makes the relationship with light a compelling issue that is worth exploring. This thesis aims to study the role that light played in the designing of St: Eskilskyrkan church in Sweden, and the way it affected the perception of the architecture and its materials. In order to answer this question, a methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative methods, was generated. Evaluation and discussion of literature review, interviews, survey on perception of light, a comparison between two similar buildings, daylight analysis using lighting software and testing lighting design tools are the key elements to create the guidelines for the lighting design proposal that will be generated in the last part of the thesis. This proposal aims to redevelop the existing illumination of the interior of the church, emphasizing on functionality, on the built form and the enhancement of spiritual experience.

This work deals with the sacred spaces Czech Krumlov Castle in the top and the late Gothic (1250 -1300 AD). The work identifies these facilities, their construction and development of their attempts to absolute dating and interpretation of their relationship. In this context seems to be showing the remains of an important festival that year, a week before the Feast of Corpus Christi, the city turned into a stage sacred representation. Besides the city itself was in the medieval concept of the founding hosnot reflection of God on earth.

The marginalisation of palliative and pastoral care practices by conventional approaches to care for terminally ill patients, motivated the research curiosity. The significance of terminal patient's spirituality, their language practices and communities of concern are endorsed as being the major contributing factor to meaningful 'living' with terminal illness. Listening to stories has been the qualitative research practice, revealing meaning-making, quest stories. Feminist theology and post-modern ideas and discourses have assisted me, and the participants, in the deconstruction of power, patriarchy and dualism as the primary contributing factors to marginalisation of people due to illness, race, gender, poverty, culture and education. Pastoral care practices and feminist theology have guided us to emphasise the necessity to recognise the God of Grace as an important part to ensuring holistic patient care. Recognising the 'God-Self, respectful narrative and pastoral care practices paved the way to honour sacred spaces and voice stories of terminal illness. / Practical Theology / M.Th (Specialisation Pastoral Therapy)

The marginalisation of palliative and pastoral care practices by conventional approaches to care for terminally ill patients, motivated the research curiosity. The significance of terminal patient's spirituality, their language practices and communities of concern are endorsed as being the major contributing factor to meaningful 'living' with terminal illness. Listening to stories has been the qualitative research practice, revealing meaning-making, quest stories. Feminist theology and post-modern ideas and discourses have assisted me, and the participants, in the deconstruction of power, patriarchy and dualism as the primary contributing factors to marginalisation of people due to illness, race, gender, poverty, culture and education. Pastoral care practices and feminist theology have guided us to emphasise the necessity to recognise the God of Grace as an important part to ensuring holistic patient care. Recognising the 'God-Self, respectful narrative and pastoral care practices paved the way to honour sacred spaces and voice stories of terminal illness. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th (Specialisation Pastoral Therapy)