Do worshipers enter your sanctuary from a busy street, still wrapped in the frenzy of the traffic outside? Do they negotiate a sea of asphalt and enter directly from an unsightly parking lot? Or do they approach the building under a canopy of mature trees and through sensitively designed outdoor spaces, enabling the splendor of nature to prepare them for worship?
The land the church is built upon and the placement of the building on that land is an important aspect of the worship experience. Sun splashing through the trees casts a sense of inspiration, a reminder of God’s presence. Treetops visible from the upper portions of windows offer a changing display of light and color, continually suggesting serenity.
Jim DePasquale
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The land, God’s natural creation, can further the church’s mission. If the church’s mission is to reach out to an urban community, the entrance would most likely be close to the street, welcoming the neighbors. If the church’s mission is to offer a quiet retreat, the building would be located well into a wooded site, with a narrow drive weaving through the trees.
The location of a building on a site is influenced by many factors — topography, soils, sun angles, vegetation, micro-climate. As a steward of God’s resources, the church should attempt to preserve the natural amenities of the land and consider ways to conserve energy.
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A building facing south along a slope takes full advantage nature’s heating and cooling. The north side, with minimal glass, planted with coniferous trees, protects the building from cold north winds. The south façade with generous areas of glass captures the warmth of the low winter sun. A properly designed overhang, along with deciduous trees, will protect the building from the heat of the high summer sun.
Walk over the land and get to know it intimately. A small sloping section might work well as an amphitheatre or outdoor chapel. A quiet place near the woods can shelter a prayer garden. An open field is ideal for recreation. And preserve the trees.
The land can work for the church. A church viewed through a veil of trees and sensitively integrated into natural contours of land provides a worshipful statement to all who approach. Experiencing a passive natural setting will certainly provide a measure of peace for the worshipper before entering the sanctuary.
Jim DePasquale, AIA, a member of Bon Air Baptist Church in Richmond, is currently chair of the Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art and Architecture of the Virginia Society, AIA, and a partner in a Richmond architectural firm. This column is a regular feature of the Religious Herald, appearing in the first issue of each month. Send building, landscape or site-related questions to the editor at [email protected] or directly to Jim DePasquale at [email protected].