Constructing the Ineffable: Contemporary Sacred Architecture

by Karla Britton (Editor), Yale University School of Architecture (Primary Contributor)

Throughout the history of the built environment there has been no more significant endeavor than the construction of houses of worship, which were once the focal point around which civilizations and city-states developed. Constructing the Ineffable is the first book to examine this topic across continents and from the perspective of multiple faiths, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Baha'i. It addresses how sacred buildings such as churches, mosques, synagogues, and memorials are viewed in the context of contemporary architecture and religious practice. Featuring more than a dozen essays by a broad range of leading international architects, historians, and theologians, Constructing the Ineffable offers a fundamental exploration of defining and understanding contemporary sacred spaces. This thought-provoking book also invites readers to consider the powerful influence of religion on civic life and to discuss the role that design and construction play in religious buildings.

Distributed for the Yale School of Architecture

248 pages, Hardcover

First published March 15, 2011

Reviews

[Servabo · Rating 2 out of 5]

While religion is a central motivating force behind many political and social movements in the world today, the religious building type is seldom discussed in a critical manner within the classrooms or design studios of most American schools of architecture. However, the design of sacred buildings remains an important aspect of practice, and man of today's most important architects have designed notable new sacred spaces and religious buildings that receive wide public attention.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

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