METANOIA
Restorative Practices for the Soul
M.Arch Thesis (parsons school of design) mentors : peter robinson, sharon sutton, nathan williams PROJECT TYPE : INDIVIDUAL
" Man does not arrive immediately at the highest inner elevation and if it were demanded of him at once, he would never arrive there. At first he needs lower supports and stages of ascent, he asks for some indulgence and permission of mixed half natural motive on which he can stand while he builds up in him the temple of spirit"
- Sri Aurobindo
Light serves as a symbol of life, happiness and prosperity, and in the wider sense- an ideal state of being. It creates an environment that is expected to support the imagination, nourish spiritual experiences, and convey the spiritual truth only to satisfy a man's intellectual curiosity. This thesis Metanoia, is deeply absorbed into the philosophy and symbolism of afterlife. It is about experiencing the journey of one's mind, heart, self and way of life, to achieve a complete spiritual conversion.
This thesis is about blurring the (in)visible edges and divides between different sets of populations within the society, with the help of sacred and ritualistic architecture of the holy light
Public A vs Day in March
Public B vs Day in June
Public Discourse vs Day in September
Spiritual Light Blurring the Edges
The architecture of this space is solely designed to achieve the abolition of hierarchy within the various socio-economic backgrounds in the society.
Who is the public ? What is a public space?
How do you categorize a public space?
How do different sets of public experience the same public space?
What is the ritual of their movement?
What natural factors affect these sets of ritualistic experiences?
Abstracted Symbolism of Rituals
Positive Spatial Moments
Negative Spatial Moments
An architecture replete with light is a powerful catalyst to create an identity and place for our being
Defining spatial and qualitative moments of light on the ground. This intended manipulation is to define the moments within to not just see light, but feel it
Grid Plan (Hour Grid/Shadow Grid )
Metanoia is built as a series of rammed earth sections reflecting light to confront the geometry of fragmentation translated into the geometry of life. The design is laid out to be unpredictable allowing the light to continually shift and determine the energy of the space with each passing minute.
These rammed earth section walls, interspersed with the grid following the time of day, creates a sequence of buffers through the site for a sudden change in the experience once the threshold is passed.
This leaves the users surprised, allowing them to feel the spirit of sacred architecture expressed by the principles of 'veil, breathe, cultivate and wander' as a symbolism for the four main elements of life being, earth, water, air and fire
Ephemeral Moment : Connection to Water
Ephemeral Moment : Connection to Heat from the Sun
Collective Ephemeral Moments
These section walls are designed to be contained both within the church and extend out onto the site to harvest a complete sensory experience for the user. The numerous entrances to the site ascribe the number of paths one may take to achieve spiritual awakening. The user is welcomed and obstructed with large openings in the walls that reflect the ingenuous architecture in the reflection pools. These hanging or grounded walls embed a principle of sliding elements- that trick the mind into believing them to be moving with the sun, guiding them further into and through the site.
Floor Plan at 8' lvl
On entering the church, the homeless population is briefed on the ritualistic process of healing and cleanse. They are then provided with a fresh set of clothes and compelled to clean and wash thereafter. Moving forward, the ritual dictates the phenomenon of a holy dip, to rediscover the mythology behind baptism in all religions across the world. This holy dip is systematically designed to face the southern facade with an open bath concept, to let the light falling on water be the driving force into transcendence. This step in the process of the cleanse, in true sense cultivates the user, progressing into the next phase of life.
Seasonal Light & Shade at 9am
Day In March
“Veil
Light and self realization helps one see something that was hidden before
The informal layout inside the church is carefully modeled to be a path of circulation which leads the transformed soul from the holy dip to other predetermined points like the sunken courtyards, as a way to celebrate togetherness and confront the comfort while basking in the broad daylight.
This design program is to make a difference in our community by making all individuals spiritually aware in the process of assisting them to see light when they are in darkness. Therefore, the long narrow flight of staircase supported by walls having openings of varied sizes provides glimpses of activities performed on the upper floor. These spaces are designed to fit the user's need based on the spiritual counselling, or even just private resting.
Floor Plan at 16' lvl
Seasonal Light & Shadow at 3pm
Day in June
Experiential Spacing
Roof Plan
Even the design over the school explores the navigation of these sections onto its roof, creating spaces for self reflection in quiet nooks within a roof garden
"Wander
You wander in darkness seeking light, that the light is in the heart of the darkness
Seasonal Light & Shadow Shift at 5pm
Day in September
Metanoia is set as a ruin in the urban landscape to experience the ritual of light as life, as it becomes the determinant to define the program, subtly blurring the edges between different sets of populations.
Sectional Moments
This brings an end to the purposefully designed sacrament within the church, for the user to now step into self exploration whilst navigating through the site.
"Cultivate
The illusion of permanence, to construct & perceive our lives in a manner that suggests solidity, stability and predictability
Sectional Moments
The design signifies rituals to an extent that accommodates sets of experiences, overlooking sets of volumes within or even being immersed to dictate the diverse interpretations and possibilities of space
"Breathe
The longing for light, is the longing for consciousness
Metanoia is thus carefully designed to draw people in and discover themselves as a notion to absolve within society. This restorative expanse provides social justice to emerging social infrastructures by providing a sun filled, airy & inclusive environment to accommodate emotionally wrenching conversations.
"Wander
Light as a variable that defines and re-defines space, that creates opportunities for privacy while allowing sight lines and visibility for safety
Every person trapped in this enriching experience of the soul, leaves Metanoia as a transformed individual with respect and dignity for human life.
Every hour every minute, seemed to last eternally as a dynamic manifestation of what we experience