Collective readings

Abstract

Most religions assign certain spaces and objects a degree of sacrality. The actions surrounding sacrality reflect social and political hierarchies, gender codes, material practices, and economic realities. This seminar aims to critically understand the roles and functions assigned to architecture within the complex and often conflictual context of the sacred.

Objective

This seminar will examine the multiform relations between architecture and sacred objects/space that have existed over time, in different regions, and in different religions.

Content

Most religions assign certain spaces and objects a degree of sacrality. This quality is indicated through ritual and liturgy, and often established – or taken away – through specific foundational acts. The actions surrounding sacrality engage the community to whom a space or object is sacred and reflect social and political hierarchies, gender codes, material practices, and economic realities. Often sacred spaces and objects also involve some form of architecture; formal or informal, imagined or real, ephemeral or lasting. This seminar wishes to examine the multiform relations between architecture and sacred objects/space that have existed over time, in different regions, and in different religions by means of a sequence of case studies, site visits, and literature study. The aim is to arrive at a critical understanding of the roles and functions assigned to architecture within the complex and often conflictual context of the sacred. Participants will be asked to develop a 4-page abstract for a research proposal related to both the course subject and their own doctoral research. The seminar is bi-weekly and starts on 27.02.2025.

Resources