Project 16: Exploring Function

I decided to pick a church for this project. It is obviously a public interior space, with an identifiable purpose, to provide a place of worship for its congregation.

I feel that I can look at its functionality from two ways, that of the preacher delivering his message and that of the congregation receiving his words.

The design criteria I would have associated with a church are, firstly from the preachers perspective:

• an area, from where to deliver his message, which should be prominent within the space allowing him both to be seen and heard,
• an area where his choir, orchestra (if applicable), readers or other participants can be readily seen.
• an area for the organ, organist and
• an area giving an overall feeling of awe, space and reverence.

and secondly,  design criteria I would associate from the congregation are:

• sufficient seating,
• good unobstructed view of the preacher or ongoing religious activities,
• good unobstructed access to seating areas.

 I took these three images from the pulpit showing the preacher's eye view.  You can see that he/she has an unrestricted view of the congregation from their elevated position.

The second image demonstrates several of the desired criteria: i.e

• an area, from where to deliver his message,
• an  area where his choir, orchestra (if applicable), readers or other participants can be readily seen.
• an area for the organ, organist and
• an area giving an overall feeling of awe, space and reverence.

The stain glass windows, within the church, also invoke a feeling of solemnity, and presence as show below.

The next image shows an interesting architectural phenomenon which comprises of the upper seating area and balcony being supported by cast iron cantilever trusses which negates the use of pillars and columns which would obstruct the parisioners' view.

The last image is of the church hall which was, prior to the present church being build was the main church proper.  The hall below was unable to hold the number of people attending some years ago, but sadliy,, however in the present climate may be able to hold the weekly congregation attending now. 

With thanks and gratitude to Laurie Crawford, South Shawlands Church of Scotland,  14 Redwood Street, Glasgow for allowing me unbridled access to their lovely church.

With the next image we can see that as said "the absence of people does not mean the space is unused".

Here the usable space of the Olympic Swimming pool at East Kilbride is projected outside with the water slides or flumes utilising the extermal space.  This can really only be appreciated by the passer by as the user can only see the structure from within the tube and the majority of the structure remains hidden.

On an other note this image reminds me of the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher.