EXPLORING THEOLOGICAL AESTHETICS: The Dynamics of Crafting Transcendental Sacred Space

Abstract

“…a building’s geometric proportions turn into shivers, stone into tears, rituals into insights, light into joy, space into contemplation, and time into heightened presence (or absence).” [Transcending Architecture: Contemporary views on sacred space - Julio Bermudez] In the contemporary world, one that is increasingly obsessed with a faster pace, unlimited economic growth, and a society that may as well be drowning in overstimulation, the merit and worth of architecture that transcends can be deemed irrefutable. This thesis highlights the significance of self-transcendence in today’s world and becomes an investigation into the capacity in which architecture plays a role in curating the spirituality associated with spaces, specifically sacred spaces. It aims to categorically study and break down the relationship between human perception of space and the degree of perceived connection to the divine by exploring what aspects of a space and hence what architectonic qualities contribute to the experience of spirituality.This thesis looks at a mosque, as a contextually relevant sacred space, as an instrument through which to experiment with theological aesthetics and redefine it as a place that does not just offer a transcending function but also as one that becomes a transcendental encounter, an encounter that embodies the gravity of faith. It approaches the mosque from a perspective of spiritual fulfillment, community, and togetherness, as a vital experience of faith rather than just a place of religious routine practice. It seeks to ask questions like how can we design sacred spaces that are so powerful in the experiences they deliver that they replenish the soul and rejuvenate the faith? Comparisons of what has historically been deemed sacred and thus, consequently have developed into religious symbols across varying cultures also contribute to this body of research. Moreover, in addition to the sacred experience, an exploration of the secular transcendental experience through primary and secondary case studies and extensive literature review informs the basis of this research. The thesis further narrows down to the specifics by focusing on extracting nuances from religious beliefs in Islam that can be powerful tools in crafting architectural experiences in a mosque that transcends. The exploration of theological aesthetics in this regard thus tackles these questions in a way that translates the transcendental experience into tangible ideas.