Reincarnation: a dowdy church has been transformed by light, imagination and faith.All members of the ar+d jury were convinced that the transformation of the First Presbyterian Church First Presbyterian Church is a generic church name, and can refer to hundreds of churches within the English speaking world. If you followed a link here, please consider making it more specific by including the city or town in which the church resides. of Encino in California deserved a mention in the awards. Abramson Teiger Architects have taken a rather gloomy '50s A-frame based church and transformed it with light. The twin aim was to create a numinous nu·mi·nous adj. 1. Of or relating to a numen; supernatural. 2. Filled with or characterized by a sense of a supernatural presence: a numinous place. 3. space and to generate a sense of congregation and reverie. So the floor of the chancel chancel, primarily that part of the church close to the altar and used by the officiating clergy. In the early churches it was separated from the nave by a low parapet or open railing (cancellus), its name being thus derived. was lowered and brought forward to bring pastor and choir closer to the congregation. Seating was re-arranged to focus on the communion table (altar) and the cross. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Approach to the communion table is an articulated sequence of spatial and luminous events. In the narthex narthex (när`thĕks), entrance feature peculiar to early Christian and Byzantine churches, although also found in some Romanesque churches, especially in France and Italy. , daylight enters from a mysterious source overhead; the main sanctuary is seen only in glimpses. In the nave nave (nāv), in general, all that part of a church that extends from the atrium to the altar and is intended exclusively for the laity. In a strictly architectural sense, however, the term indicates only the central aisle, excluding side aisles. , the congregation receives light from large openings to the north, and smaller ones on the south side. The sanctuary itself is the most brilliantly illuminated part of the church. Here, two vertical curved elements are flooded with daylight from different sources. They focus the space on the cross, and the more abstract version of the symbol on the support behind which itself is touched with coloured light from the existing stained-glass windows Noun 1. stained-glass window - a window made of stained glass window - a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air . All elements of the interior are intended to be symbolic. In the two vertical curving planes are reminiscences of the hands in prayer; the choir and communion table are likened by the architects to the dove of Christ, sheltering the choir with its wing, and offering its heart as the place of communion. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Such symbolism was certainly not apparent to all jury members, but we all respected the way in which an atmosphere of almost Baroque wonder and intensity has been created with economy and powerful imagination. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] |
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