Approaching the task of designing a church or a religious building might seem quite intimidating. After all, this is going to become a building that many people will flock to in search of spiritual guidance and connection. The good thing is that you don’t have to handle this yourself. That is what a liturgical architecture firm is here for. They take the main ideas of your faith and translate them into a powerful and beautiful venue. However, not all of them will be able to handle the project. You need to make sure that you are talking to the right firm when it comes to finding the best possible people for the job.
Reverence Towards the Task
American architect Norman L. Koonce once said that the goal of liturgical architecture is to make “transparent the boundary between matter and mind, flesh and the spirit.” This means that when it comes to designing a religious building, it is key to understand what the ultimate goal of the space is. People will seek this place to gather together in peace and harmony to communicate and interact with something intangible and bigger than themselves. The space being built must evoke such a feeling in those who visit it, so it’s important for an architecture firm to understand and respect these sentiments. An effective religious building has to be the product of love and reverence towards the task.
An Understanding of the Faith
Liturgical buildings are meant to be a reflection of the faith that they house inside, which means that the design has to convey the main ideas of the religion in question. That was the way religion was communicated before the population was literate, and that principle continues today. Depending on the values of the faith in question, you will want the building to be tall and imposing or quaint and inviting. What are the ideas that your faith communicates and how can architecture do it? Anl architecture firm should be able to understand the main ideas of your faith and communicate them visually and effectively.
An Aesthetic but Functional Approach
All the way through the design process, it is important to maintain a balance between aesthetics and functionality. It is important to be ambitious design-wise, for in order to conceive a religious building ambition is definitely key, but it is also vital to keep in mind that functionality and logistics are very important. These buildings will be occupied by dozens, sometimes hundreds of people at the same time, so it’s very important to be aware of how the building will serve the congregation without sacrificing aesthetics. A good architecture firm will know how to balance out the look of the building with the purpose it serves.
Liturgical Architecture Firm
Needless to say, designing a church is a gargantuan task. It is not easy to tackle such an intimidating endeavor, and if you’re looking for people up for it, you will need to find an architecture firm with experience and ambition. The architects in question need to understand the principles of liturgical architecture and how to apply them in the present. RBB Architects Inc. has designed a variety of liturgical buildings and spaces, thoroughly implementing these ancient ideas in relevant ways. For more information, you can call us at (310) 473-3555 or reach out to us through our website.
