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Macau Periodical Index (澳門期刊論文索引)
- Author
- He, Chang
- Title
- Informal spiritual space
- Journal Name
- The Journal of the Macau Ricci Institute
- Pub. Info
- Sept. 2020 , No. 6, pp. 122-134
- Link
- http://mrijournal.riccimac.org/articles/issue_06/MRI_Journal_Issue_Six.pdf
- Abstract
- Inspired by Pope Francis's third encyclical letter “Laudato Si’, ” this paper analyses the significance of spiritual spaces, as well as the main causes and difficulties of the declining spiritual environment in modern society. As an architectural response to Pope Francis’s concern for the diminished role of spiritual places, this paper presents a theoretical study of the concept of “informal spiritual space” and proposes that formal spiritual space is not the only venue in which people may practice contemplation, and that an informal spiritual space can also build a symbolic connection with God, which represents God’s infinite beauty and goodness. Paragraph Headings: 1. Spiritual space: Contemplation and its architectural predicament 2. Informal spiritual space: An architectual response to Laudato Si' 3. A design concept of informal spiritual space 4. Conclusion Figures: 1. The painting of “the Garden for Solitary Enjoyment” (Duleyuan 独乐园)(partial view) depicts the Song-dynasty scholar Sima Guang’s 司马光 contemplation in an informal spiritual space. Painted by Qiu Ying 仇英, 1515-52. Collected by the Cleveland Museum of Art. 2. The tenon-and-mortise joints, a series of material and digital model studies for the basic structural elements and possible spatial compositions towards informal spiritual space. Designed, constructed, and digitally drawn by author, 2019. 3. The Cloud Pavilion, an informal spiritual space in the Garden of the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan 颐和园), Beijing. Designed, materially modeled, and digitally drawn by author, 2019.