ABSTRACT
Title of Document: CONTEMPORARY SPIRITUAL RE[IMAGE]
INATION: RELATING THE TRADITIONS OF 
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH TO MODERN 
SOCIETY  
Patrice Michelle Bennett, M. Arch, and 2015 
Directed By: Professor Peter Noonan, School of Architec-
ture, Planning and Preservation
In the American colonial era, Anglicans associated with the Church of England 
founded parishes and built churches throughout the colonies. After the Revo-
lutionary War, many of these Anglicans refused any sort of loyalty toward the 
Church of England, and thus established the Episcopal Church. Early church-
es were often central within individual settlements and central to the lives of its 
inhabitants. Over the centuries, however, the Episcopal Church has migrated 
to the peripheries of communities and has diminished in importance to much of 
the populace. Over the last decade membership in the Episcopal Church has 
decreased by nearly twenty percent, despite progressive attempts by church 
leadership to evolve with an ever-changing society. Utilizing the canon and cus-
toms of the Church as a guide, this thesis will explore how the Episcopal Church 
can respond and relate to a diverse contemporary society while maintaining its 
rich history and traditions so vital to its tenets, and explores what role innovative 
architectural thinking can play to support that evolution.
CONTEMPORARY SPIRITUAL RE|IMAGE|INATION: RELATING THE 
TRADITIONS OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH TO MODERN SOCIETY.  
By
Patrice Michelle Bennett
Thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the 
University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Architecture
2015
Advisory Committee:
Professor of the Practice Peter Noonan, Chair
Professor Brian Kelly
Professor Garth Rockcastle
© Copyright by
Patrice Michelle Bennett
December 2015
ii
Acknowledgments
Engagement:
Jason Evans
Teresa Terry
Dr. Julio Bermudez
Support:
Michael Bennett
Michael Driscoll
Patricia Driscoll
Adam Chamy
Erica Aronson
Marissa Levash
Mentorship:
Professor Peter Noonan
Professor Brian Kelly
iii
Acknowledgments ii
Table of Contents iii
List of Figures v
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
Chapter 2: History of the Episcopal Church in the United States 3
Origins 3
Growth, Decline, and Diversification over the Centuries 6
Taxonomy of Episcopal Church Form through Time 8
Chapter 3: Architectural and Programmatic Components of the  Episcopal  
Church 12
Definition of Terms 12
Diagramming of Components 13
Diagramming of Episcopal Church Taxonomy 15
Analysis and Trends 15
Chapter 4: Precedents 17
Notre Dame du Haut Chapel 17
MIT’s Kresge Chapel 18
Otaniemi Student Chapel 20
Church of the Light 22
Chapel of St. Ignatius 24
Chapel of Silence 26
Chapter 5:  Site Selection and Analysis 29
US dioceses and membership statistics and  trends in growth and  de-
cline 29
Selection Methodology 33
Table of Contents
iv
City Analysis 33
Site Selection 43
Site Analysis 45
Chapter 6:  Program 55
General Program Requirements 55
Chapter 7:  Design Process 65
Urban Form Strategies 65
Ritual of Place 67
Building Form Strategies 70
Chapter 8:  Design Proposal 72
Chapter 9:  Conclusions 81
Fellowship Hall 81
Interior Spaces 81
Beyond the Site 82
Bibliography 83
vFigure 1   Genealogy of the Episcopal Church 3
Figure 2   One of the first women ordained after the the Ceneral Convention 
of 1976, archive.episcopalchurch.org 7
Figure 3   Taxonomy of Episcopal churches in the US. This table compiled 
multiple architecturally significant US Episcopal churches with 
data about their date built, location, photos, plans, architects, site 
context, and other notes 9
Figure 4   Taxonomy of Episcopal churches in the US. This table compiled 
multiple architecturally significant US Episcopal churches with 
data about their date built, location, photos, plans, architects, site 
context, and other notes 10
Figure 5   Taxonomy of Episcopal churches in the US. This table compiled 
multiple architecturally significant US Episcopal churches with 
data about their date built, location, photos, plans, architects, site 
context, and other notes 11
Figure 6   Diagram of basic church components 13
Figure 7   Diagram of the narthex 14
Figure 9   Diagram of the nave 14
Figure 11   Diagram of the pulpit 14
Figure 13   Diagram of the chancel 14
Figure 8   Diagram of the baptistry 14
Figure 10   Diagram of the transept 14
Figure 12   Diagram of the lectern 14
Figure 14   Diagram of the altar 14
Figure 15   Le Corbusier, The Chapel of Notre Dame du Haut, 
plansofarchitecture.tumblr.com 17
List of Figures
vi
Figure 16   Timothy Brown, Int South Wall, flickr.com 18
Figure 17   Wladyslaw, Notre Dame du Haut (ws), de.wikipedia.org 18
Figure 18   Daderot, MIT Chapel, Cambridge, Massachusetts – interior, 
en.wikipedia.com 19
Figure 19   Daderot, MIT Chapel, Cambridge, Massachusetts – exterior, 
en.wikipedia.com 19
Figure 20   Jisis, Otaniemi Chapel interior, architects Heikki and Kaija Siren, 
commons.wikimedia.org 20
Figure 21   Felix O, Otaniemi Chapel, architects Heikki and Kaija Siren in 
1987, commons.wikimedia.org 20
Figure 22   Edwin Heathcote, View from interior, Church Builders 21
Figure 23   Edwin Heathcote, View of enclosure and transparent vestibule 
containing four crosses, Church Builders 21
Figure 24   De Appel, Church of the Light, flickr.com 22
Figure 25   Rudolf Stegers, View From the North, Sacred Buildings: a Design 
Manual 22
Figure 26   Rudolf Stegers, Site Plan, right the chapel, left the Sunday school, 
Sacred Buildings: a Design Manual 23
Figure 27   Steven Holl, St. Ignatius Chapel, architectureacademia.wordpress.
com 24
Figure 28   Joe Mabel, Seattle U St. Ignatius, commons.wikimedia.org 25
Figure 30   Mary Ann Sullivan, Plan, bluffton.edu 25
Figure 29   Joe Mabel, Seattle U St. Ignatius, commons.wikimedia.org 25
Figure 31   Matti Mattila, Kamppi Chapel, flickr.com 26
Figure 32   Helio Dias, Chapel of Silence, flickr.com 26
Figure 33   Parish: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, google maps 29
Figure 34   Parish: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, google maps 30
vii
Figure 36   Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, google maps 30
Figure 35   City, Charlotte, NC, google maps 30
Figure 37   Province of Sewanee, google maps 30
Figure 39   Province decline. This table shows percentage changes in church 
membership over between 2003 and 2013 and percentage 
change in number of active parishes between 2012 and 2013. 31
Figure 38   Provinces of the Episcopal Church of the United States 31
Figure 40   Dioceses with indications of growth. This table shows percentage 
changes in church membership over between 2003 and 2013 and 
percentage change in number of active parishes between 2012 
and 2013. 32
Figure 41   Dioceses of North Carolina and Tennessee 32
Figure 43   Charlotte, NC, Hispanic population, US Census 34
Figure 45   Charlotte, NC, Population density 34
Figure 42   Major Cities within Growing Dioceses, author 34
Figure 44   Charlotte, NC, African American population, US Census 34
Figure 46   Charlotte, NC, Episcopal church locations 34
Figure 47   Charlotte, NC, Hispanic and African American populations, 
population density, Episcopal church locations, and potential 
focus areas 35
Figure 49   Charlotte, NC, Focus area with identified potential site location 35
Figure 48   Charlotte, NC, Identified focus areas 35
Figure 50   Charlotte, NC, Potential site location 35
Figure 51   Nashville, TN, Hispanic populations 36
Figure 53   Nashville, TN, Population density 36
Figure 52   Nashville, TN, African American populations 36
Figure 54   Nashville, TN, Episcopal church locations 36
viii
Figure 55   Nashville, TN, Hispanic and African American populations, 
population density, Episcopal church locations, and identified 
focus areas 37
Figure 57   Raleigh, NC, Hispanic populations 37
Figure 59   Raleigh, NC, Population densities 37
Figure 58   Raleigh, NC, African American populations 37
Figure 60   Raleigh, NC, Episcopal church locations 37
Figure 56   Nashville, TN, Identified focus areas 37
Figure 61   Raleigh, NC, Hispanic and African American populations, 
population density, Epsicopal church locations, and identified 
focus areas 38
Figure 63   Raleigh, NC, Focus area with identified potential site 38
Figure 64   Raleigh, NC, Potential site location 38
Figure 62   Raleigh, NC, Identified focus areas 38
Figure 65   Greensboro, NC, Hispanic populations 39
Figure 67   Greensboro, NC, Population densities 39
Figure 66   Greensboro, NC, African American populations 39
Figure 68   Greensboro, NC, Episcopal church locations 39
Figure 69   Greensboro, NC, Hispanic and African American populations, 
population densities, Episcopal church locations, and potential 
focus areas 40
Figure 71   Greensboro, NC, focus area with identified potential site 40
Figure 72   Greensboro, NC, Potential site location 40
Figure 70   Greensboro, NC, Identified focus areas 40
Figure 77   Durham, NC, Hispanic and African American populations, 
population densities, Episcopal church locations, and potential 
focus areas 41
ix
Figure 73   Durham, NC, Hispanic populations 41
Figure 75   Durham, NC, Population densities 41
Figure 74   Durham, NC, African American populations 41
Figure 76   Durham, NC, Episcopal church locations 41
Figure 78   Winston-Salem, NC, Hispanic populations 42
Figure 80   Winston-Salem, NC, Population densities 42
Figure 79   Winston-Salem, NC, African American populations 42
Figure 81   Winston-Salem, NC, Episcopal church locations 42
Figure 82   Winston-Salem, NC, Hispanic and African American populations, 
population densities, Episcopal church locations, and potential 
focus areas 43
Figure 84   Winston-Salem, NC, Focus area with identified potential site 43
Figure 85   Winston-Salem, NC, Potential site location 43
Figure 83   Winston-Salem, NC, Identified focus areas 43
Figure 86   Site selection rubric 44
Figure 87   Regional churches, schools, and quarter-mile walking radii 45
Figure 88   Building typologies diagram 46
Figure 90   Site photo of clock tower in central roundabout of shopping center 47
Figure 89   Site circulation 47
Figure 92   Existing buildings, roads, hydrology, and topography 48
Figure 91   Site photo of vast parking lots as viewed from the clock tower 48
Figure 93   Site photo of change in topography from main boulevard down to 
the site 49
Figure 94   Site photo of retention pond at south end of site 49
Figure 96   Site photo of landscaped buffer between site and main boulevard 50
Figure 95   Site photo of shopping center entrance along main boulevard 50
Figure 97   Existing buildings, roads, hydrology, and topography 51
xFigure 98   Site sections through existing buildings and topography 52
Figure 99   Public open spaces diagram 53
Figure 100   Site photo of vacant store, formerly a grocery store 54
Figure 101   Urban site design process diagrams 65
Figure 102   Urban site design diagrams 66
Figure 103   Baptism | Cleansing | Font 67
Figure 105   Wedding | Joining 68
Figure 106   Funeral | Mourning 68
Figure 104   Ringing of the bells | Bell tower | Call to prayer 68
Figure 107   Prayer | Service | Sanctuary 69
Figure 108   Sunday school | Learning 69
Figure 109   Healthfulness | Eating well | Market 69
Figure 110   Building design schemes 70
Figure 112   Sanctuary form study  71
Figure 111   Building design scheme 71
Figure 113   Urban scale site plan 72
Figure 114   Places diagram 73
Figure 115   Site section through plaza 73
Figure 116   Site plan, first floor 74
Figure 117   Enlarged first floor plan, school and community center 74
Figure 118   Enlarged first floor plan, sanctuary and community outreach 75
Figure 119   Site plan, second floor 75
Figure 120   Enlarged second floor plan, school and community center 75
Figure 121   Enlarged second floor plan, sanctuary and community outreach 76
Figure 123   Entry perspective 76
Figure 122   North elevation 76
Figure 124   West elevation 77
xi
Figure 125   Church courtyard section elevation 77
Figure 127   Longitudinal section through sanctuary 77
Figure 126   Cross section 77
Figure 128   Sanctuary wall section 78
Figure 129   School courtyard section elevation 79
Figure 130   Fellowship hall perspective 79
Figure 131   Sanctuary perspective 80
1Chapter 1: Introduction
 The Episcopal Church developed a rich and defined sense of place since 
its tumultuous beginnings after the Revolutionary War. In the 18th and 19th centu-
ries it has experienced periods of enormous growth, reaching even beyond the 
national borders, but it is currently in a state of precipitous decline. Over the past 
decade church membership has decreased nearly twenty percent, despite pro-
gressive attempts by church leadership to remain relevant to contemporary soci-
ety. Investigations into reasons why Episcopalians are leaving in droves lead to a 
few basic theories. First, they are generally unsatisfied with the spiritual direction 
of the church. This can be either they are upset over the rejection of biblical au-
thority (acceptance of gay marriage and ordination), they feel there is a general 
weakening of the spiritual conviction, or they simply desire a more nourishing 
spiritual food. Second, people’s lives are moving at a faster pace and becoming 
more complex and complicated, with attending church ranking low on the list of 
priorities. This can speak to people saying they have no time to devote to ser-
vices, that services are held when they have other more important obligations, or 
even a shift towards individual autonomy and away from institutional restraints. A 
corollary to this theory is the idea that the drop in church attendance has nothing 
to do with changes in membership, but is simply a reflection of a drop in frequen-
cy of attendance. While this tends to lend support to the busy lives theory, it does 
not actually address changes in membership numbers. The third theory about de-
cline in church membership is ethnically centered, and speaks to the historically 
white demographics of the Episcopal Church. This theory includes reasons such 
as the failure to sufficiently reach beyond ethnic barriers in an increasingly di-
2verse society, and the low fertility rates prevailing among the predominant ethnic 
groups traditionally belonging to the church.
 While some of the more theologically driven reasons for departure may 
require doctrinal changes on the part of the General Convention of the Episco-
pal Church in order to reach some sort of resolution, I am interested in and will 
explore how design can play a valuable part in rebuilding church membership 
by means of reprioritization and diversification of the church. In essence, I will 
explore how attention to architectural and urban scale design can bridge the 
ever-growing gaps between the Episcopal Church and its changing membership. 
An understanding of the history and architectural elements of the church, as well 
as how those elements have changed over time will provide a foundation for 
planning and designing a contemporarily relevant Episcopal worship space.
3Chapter 2: History of the Episcopal Church in the United 
States
Origins
Anglicanism is a term associated with forms of worship, doctrine, and 
structure that developed as a result of the English Reformation. While stirrings of 
reform were present before, the official separation did not occur until 1534 C.E. 
when King Henry VIII of England removed the pope of Rome as the head of the 
Church in England and replaced himself in the position. Over the next 130 years, 
a struggle between various factions of Protestantism and Roman Catholicism 
continued in England, with a unique form of Protestantism finally winning out. 
The result was a distinct blend of mainly Reformed Protestant doctrinal positions 
with Catholic-influenced forms, such as a highly liturgical worship and an epis-
copal (that is, bishop-led) institutional structure. Thus Anglicanism became to be 
thought of as the via media or the middle way between Catholicism and Protes-
tantism.
Michelle Bennett B1 
History 
Church of England Protestant Episcopal Church (1787) Episcopal Church 
Methodist Episcopal Church (1784) United Methodist Church 
Reformed Episcopal Church (1874) 
Anglican Orthodox Church (1963) 
Charismatic Episcopal Church (1992) 
Anglican Church in North America (2008) 
Anglican Mission in the Americas (2000) 
Anglican Province of Christ the King (1978) 
Anglican Catholic Church (1977) 
Anglican Church in America (1991) 
American Episcopal Church (1968) 
Figure 1   Genealogy of the Episcopal Church
4When England set its sights on colonizing the what would later be know 
as North America, part of the colonials’ official directives was to spread Christi-
anity to the natives there. Thus one of the earliest English settlements in the new 
world, Jamestown, Virginia, was colonized by Anglicans and contains one of the 
oldest surviving Anglican church structures in the United States. Multiple other 
religious factions also saw opportunity for religious freedom in the new world, so 
Anglicanism was not universally accepted across the colonies. After a slow start 
in the colonies, Anglicanism began to take a strong hold on the populace, find-
ing designations as the official church of Virginia in 1609, of New York in 1693, 
of Maryland in 1702, of South Carolina in 1706, of North Carolina in 1730, and 
of Georgia in 1758. Because there was no American bishop in the colonial era, 
tax money in those colonies who had designated the Church of England as the 
official religion was paid to the local parish by the local government, and then the 
local parish handled several civic functions. On the eve of the American Revolu-
tion, several hundred independent congregations were established throughout 
the American colonies.
More than any other denomination, the War of Independence internally 
divided both clergy and laity of the Church of England in America, and political 
opinions varied widely from patriots to conciliators to loyalists. Through its accep-
tance of the symbols of British presence in the American colonies, such as the 
monarchy as head of the church, the episcopate, and even the language of the 
Book of Common Prayer, the Church of England put itself in a precarious position 
during the upheaval of the American Revolution. Many clergy remained loyalist 
as they took very seriously their ordination oaths, for allegiance to and prayers 
for the king, the royal family, and the British Parliament. However, starting July 
4, 1776, Congress and several states passed laws making prayers for the king 
and the British Parliament acts of treason. While some of the patriot clergy in the 
5southern states were able to find reasons to transfer their oaths to the American 
cause and keep their churches open, many of the New England churches were 
closing.
After the Revolution, the Anglicans within the newly formed states were 
faced with the task of preserving the hierarchical church structure within a soci-
ety imbued with republican values. When clergy of Connecticut elected Samuel 
Seabury as their bishop in 1783, he sought consecration in the Scottish Epis-
copal Church, were he was ordained in 1784, thus becoming the first American 
bishop of the American Episcopal Church. In 1787, the Archbishop of Canterbury 
and three other English bishops consecrated William White as Bishop of Penn-
sylvania and Samuel Provoost as Bishop of New York. Thus there became two 
branches of Apostolic succession for American bishops: through the non-juring 
bishops of Scotland that consecrate Samuel Seabury and through the English 
church that consecrated William White and Samuel Provoost. All American bish-
ops can trace their succession back to those three. Once America had three 
ordained bishops, they were not longer reliant on outside countries for consecra-
tion. In 1789 an assembly of the American Church met in Philadelphia to unify 
all Episcopalians in the United States into a single church. During the assembly, 
they adopted a constitution, a set of canon laws, and a revision to the 1662 En-
glish Book of Common Prayer known as the American Book of Common Prayer. 
The new constitution provided for annual diocesan conventions with the bishop of 
each diocese as presiding officer. A national General Convention was also estab-
lished, composed of two legislative houses, the House of Bishops and the House 
of Deputies, modeled after the newly formed United States Congress. A system 
of checks and balances similar to that of the new federal system was also incor-
porated into the Church’s constitution.
6Growth, Decline, and Diversification over the Centuries
As the United States began its westward expansion, the church followed 
with missionary bishops ministering to the far away and sparsely populated west-
ern parishes and congregations. During the Civil War, the South formed their own 
Protestant Episcopal Church, which was never officially recognized, and by 1866 
the southern dioceses had rejoined the national church. In the years following 
the war, the church grew from 160,000 communicants in 1866 to 784,000 in 1890 
and expanded into all parts of the United States. 
In the years since 1890, growth and expansion patterns of the Episco-
pal Church have been mixed. By 1952, the total number of adherents had risen 
above 2.5 millions, a number exceeded only by four other US religious commu-
nities: the Catholic Church, the Methodist Church, the Southern Baptist Conven-
tion, and the Jewish population. However in the period from 1952 to 1990, the 
church experienced a period of relative decline. Although it continued to expand 
its territory with new parishes, the number of adherents had declined by over 
100,000 resulting in a thinning of the distribution.
Conventions of the 1950s and 1960s tended to ignore the increasing pres-
sure from women to petition for ordination as deacons and priests in the church. 
Finally in 1970 the General Convention granted women ordination to the diacon-
ate. In 1974, eleven women presented themselves for ordination to priesthood 
in Philadelphia, but the House of Bishops declared their ordinations invalid, and 
insisted they would remain deacons. However, those eleven ordinations were 
accepted after the 1976 General Convention allowed for women to be eligible for 
both the priesthood and the episcopate. Since then, all 110 diocese of the Epis-
copal Church in the United States have women as ordained priests and Katha-
rine Jefferts Schori has been elected as Presiding Bishop in 2006, the first and 
only woman to become a primate in the Anglican Communion. While advances 
7have been made in furthering the ordination of women within the church, the se-
lection of Bishop Schori was controversial as not all of the Anglican Communion 
recognizes the ordination of women.
Figure 2   One of the first women ordained 
after the the Ceneral Convention of 
1976, archive.episcopalchurch.org
Another decision coming out of the General Convention of 1976 was the 
affirmation that homosexuals are children of God and deserving of acceptance 
and pastoral care from the church and equal protection under the law. Despite 
such affirmation of gay rights, the General Convention affirmed in 1991 that 
physical sexual expression is only appropriate within the monogamous, lifelong 
union of husband and wife. The first openly homosexual priest, Ellen Barrett, was 
ordained in 1977, and the first openly homosexual bishop, Gene Robinson, was 
elected in 2003. Robinson’s election caused crisis within the church and resulted 
in a moratorium on ordaining gay bishops in 2006. This was overturned, howev-
er, in 2009 when the House of Bishops voted that any ordained ministry is open 
to gay men and lesbians. In 2012 a provisional rite of blessing for same-gender 
relationships was authorized, and discrimination against transgender persons in 
the ordination process was officially prohibited. 
8Particularly since Robinson’s election as the church’s first openly gay and 
non-celibate bishop, some members of a number of congregations and six dio-
ceses left the Episcopal Church. Many of those have realigned with churches of 
the Continuing Anglican movement. The church has initiated litigation against the 
departing dioceses and parishes, largely centered around church properties, with 
the Episcopal Church asserting ownership of buildings occupied by separatist 
congregations. However, when the South Carolina diocese voted to withdraw, the 
2015 court decision ruled in favor of the local diocese, citing that the diocese and 
its parishes are the owners of their real, personal and intellectual property and 
that the national church has no legal interest in the properties.
Taxonomy of Episcopal Church Form through Time
 In order to better understand the physical manifestations of the Episco-
pal Church in the United States, it is necessary to look closely at what forms the 
church has taken, what styles have been most prevalent, what relationships the 
church has had with its exterior environment and context, and how the buildings 
and their context change over time. The following taxonomy examines some of 
the architecturally significant Episcopal churches through the years, looking at a 
variety of categories: date built, location, photos, plan, architect, site context, and 
additional descriptions or notes.
 
9Figure 3   Taxonomy of Episcopal churches in the US. This table compiled multiple architecturally 
significant US Episcopal churches with data about their date built, location, photos, plans, 
architects, site context, and other notes
10
Figure 4   Taxonomy of Episcopal churches in the US. This table compiled multiple architecturally 
significant US Episcopal churches with data about their date built, location, photos, plans, 
architects, site context, and other notes
11
Figure 5   Taxonomy of Episcopal churches in the US. This table compiled multiple architecturally 
significant US Episcopal churches with data about their date built, location, photos, plans, 
architects, site context, and other notes
12
Chapter 3: Architectural and Programmatic Components of 
the  Episcopal  Church
Definition of Terms
Altar: table in the chancel that clergy use for Communion
Ambo: in lecture-hall floor plan, single speaker stand in center of front of the 
church, serving function of both lectern and pulpit
Apse: if wall behind altar (east wall) is curved, it forms a semicircular area called 
an apse
Baptistry: water basin, tank, or pool that is the source of water for baptisms; 
located inside the doors, in the nave at the front of the congregation, or 
behind the chancel
Chancel: front part of the church in which the service is conducted, often an ele-
vated platform three steps up from the nave
Chancel Screen/ Rood Screen: partition that separated the nave from the chan-
cel; not a complete visual barrier
East Wall: wall behind the altar, as viewed from the nave (not matter what direc-
tion actually facing)
Lectern: in historic floor plan, speaker stand on the right (as viewed by the con-
gregation) used by lay people to epistle lessons, lead congregation in 
prayer, and make announcements; lectern side of the church called the 
epistle side
Narthex: foyer or entryway of the church
Nave: part of the church where the congregation sits
Oratory: room or portion of a room set aside for an individual to conduct personal 
13
devotions
Pulpit: in historic floor plan, the speaker stand on the left (as viewed by the con-
gregation) used by clergy to read gospel and preach sermon; pulpit side of 
the church called the gospel side
Sacristy: room or closet in which communion equipment, linen, and supplies are 
kept; usually equipped with a sink
Sanctuary: in lecture-hall floor plan, includes both the chancel and the nave, 
when not architecturally distinct; in historic floor plans, synonymous with 
chancel
Transept: space between the chancel and the nave that extends beyond the side 
walls, giving the church a cruciform floor plan
Undercroft: church basement under the chancel and nave (and transept if there 
is one)
Diagramming of Components
In order to understand the basic concepts, positions, and relationships of the 
basic architectural components, each component can be diagrammed within the 
context of a very basic, or ideal, church.
Figure 6   Diagram of basic church components
14
Narthex 
Figure 7   Diagram of the narthex
a+t$1tr: 
Figure 8   Diagram of the baptistry
Na7e 
Figure 9   Diagram of the nave
ra'1e+t 
Figure 10   Diagram of the transept
5%+$t 
Figure 11   Diagram of the pulpit
eter' 
Figure 12   Diagram of the lectern
ha'e% 
Figure 13   Diagram of the chancel
Altar 
Figure 14   Diagram of the altar
15
Diagramming of Episcopal Church Taxonomy
 The previous general diagrams about basic components can be utilized 
as a tool for further analysis. Each of these diagrams can be applied to the cata-
logue of Episcopal Churches to understand how each of the churches utilized the 
basic idea of a programmatic element in a unique and site-specific way. Not only 
does the application of the diagrams to the catalogue show how each church 
is able to interpret its basic components in a variety of ways, but it also shows 
how certain elements of the church change and adapt over time. Sometimes that 
change is simply a change in location. Other times it is a merging of elements or 
even an elimination or replacement. 
Analysis and Trends
 The overwhelming majority of Episcopal churches studied exhibit a more 
traditional rectilinear internal arrangement, in which pews or chairs are aligned 
in rows facing a singular direction toward the altar. Even more recently designed 
parishes hold true to this formal arrangement. Some variations of sanctuary de-
sign, though limited in popularity, have made their debut in recent years. Lecture 
hall and auditorium type arrangements are similar to the historic plans, but focus 
on a singular focus point at the altar, instead of the historic lectern and pulpit. 
These variations also allow for seating to fan out in a less rectilinear arrange-
ment. A more dramatically different sanctuary plan carries the fanned seating all 
the way around the altar to create a radial plan. Contemporary proponents of this 
plan type extol the personal nature of services because parishioners have no 
choice but play a more active part in the services.
 While changes can be seen in the internal sanctuary plans through time, 
potentially more dramatic changes have taken place outside the sanctuary walls. 
Episcopal churches have grown from small, singular buildings for the sole pur-
16
pose of Sunday morning services to large, sprawling complexes with purposes 
reaching beyond the bounds of church walls. Churches initially expanded with 
homes for rectors or fellowship halls, but it is not uncommon for contemporary 
churches to include schools, athletic facilities, community outreach facilities or 
coffee shops.
17
Chapter 4: Precedents
Notre Dame du Haut Chapel
Architect: Le Corbusier 
Location: Ronchamp, France
Year Completed: 1955 
Religious Denomination: Roman Catholic
Size: approximately 8,100 sqft
Site/Context: Rural, Hilltop
Le Corbusier designed the chapel at Ronchamp as a remote pilgrimage site 
perched atop a hill outside the small village. The chapel was built as a dynamic 
sculpture in the round, creating an interior space intensified by light and shadow. 
Thick curved walls and a concrete shell roof give the building a massive, sculp-
tural form. Small, irregular windows painted bright colors punch through the thick 
Figure 15   Le Corbusier, The Chapel of Notre Dame du Haut, plan-
sofarchitecture.tumblr.com
18
walls to give a colorful play of light on the interior. Programmatically, it is a sim-
ple, oblong nave, two side entrances, an axial main altar, and three side chapels 
beneath towers.
 The major takewaways from examining this precedent were the idea of the 
sacred as an object in space and the playful use of light. While Ronchamp is lit-
erally a singular object standing on an otherwise empty parcel of land, this thesis 
utilizes materiality and orientation to differentiate the sacred as a unique object 
among the profane. In addition, the thesis attempts to make playful the use of 
light and dark through slatted glazing and clerestories along the interior courtyard 
edges of the sanctuary.
Figure 16   Timothy Brown, Int South Wall, 
flickr.com
Figure 17   Wladyslaw, Notre Dame du Haut 
(ws), de.wikipedia.org
MIT’s Kresge Chapel
Architect: Eero Saarinen
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 
USA
Year Completed: 1955
Religious Denomination: Non-denominational
Size: approximately 2,000 sqft
Site/Context: Urban, University Campus
19
The cylindrical brick volume of the chapel breaks up the campus’s orthogonal 
grid and is surrounded by a round, shallow moat. The windowless interior surfac-
es are composed of detailed undulating brick walls low hidden glass panels to 
bring light reflected off the water in the moat. In addition, light streams down over 
the altar, which is located opposite the entrance.
 The major takewaway from this precedent is its use of water at its base 
to reflect light into the chapel. This thesis similarly utilizes a rill of water along 
the base of the sanctuary but does this less for the light reflection properties and 
more for the understanding of personal and spiritual connections with water and 
natural stewardship.
Figure 18   Daderot, MIT Chapel, 
Cambridge, Massachusetts – 
interior, en.wikipedia.com
Figure 19   Daderot, MIT Chapel, 
Cambridge, Massachusetts – 
exterior, en.wikipedia.com
20
Otaniemi Student Chapel
Architect: Heikki and Kaija Siren
Location: Aalto University, Otaniemi, Finland
Year Completed: 1957
Religious Denomination: Lutheran
Size: approximately 3,400 sqft
Site/Context: Suburban, University Campus
The sanctuary is entered from a small, walled court within a woodland glade. 
From the courtyard, one enters a simple wedge-shaped box with a mono-pitched 
roof. The triangular, rough wooden trusses that fill the upper part of the building 
volume are representative of the heavily wooded surroundings and direct atten-
tion toward a glass wall at the east end of the chapel. Beyond the glass wall lies 
a large steel cross before a backdrop of thick forest.
 The major takeaways from this precedent are the use of trusses to focus 
attention and light upon the altar and the use of a walled courtyard to demarcate 
the sacred from the surrounding areas. This thesis utilizes a system of trusses 
that not only add volume to the sanctuary, creating a feeling of grandeur, but also 
Figure 20   Jisis, Otaniemi Chapel interior, ar-
chitects Heikki and Kaija Siren, commons.
wikimedia.org
Figure 21   Felix O, Otaniemi Chapel, ar-
chitects Heikki and Kaija Siren in 1987, 
commons.wikimedia.org
21
direct attention to the placement of the altar. The height created by the trusses 
also allow the inclusion of clerestories into the sanctuary. While the Otaniemi Stu-
dent Chapel uses literal walls to establish a forecourt, this thesis utilizes a bosk 
of trees and implied boundaries such as pavement patterns and separated walls 
within the same plane to establish markers to the sacred spaces.
Figure 22   Edwin Heathcote, View from interi-
or, Church Builders
Figure 23   Edwin Heathcote, View of enclo-
sure and transparent vestibule containing 
four crosses, Church Builders
Church on the Water
Architect: Tadao Ando
Location: Tomamu, Hohhaido, Japan
Year Completed: 1988
Religious Denomination: Non-denominational (hotel chapel)
Size: 3497 sqft
Site/Context: Rural
The plan consists of two squares that overlap at a corner, with a general slope 
downward toward an artificial pond. On approach one reaches first a transparent 
box with four concrete crosses, and then descends into the main chapel by way 
of a curved stair. A movable glass wall that spans the length of the main chapel, 
22
allowing the space to be opened up completely to views of the water with a large 
cross rising from the calm waters of the pond. Ando replaced the front wall of the 
chapel with nature itself, a representation of the Creator.
 The major takeaway from this precedent was its visual connection with 
nature. This thesis similarly locates a pool of water beyond the altar wall with 
trees surrounding the pool in the distance. However, while the precedent is overt 
in the natural relationship, this thesis establishes a more veiled visual connection 
to allow worshipers to have a more focused personal reflection.
Figure 24   De Appel, Church of the Light, 
flickr.com
Figure 25   Rudolf Stegers, View From the 
North, Sacred Buildings: a Design Manual
Church of the Light
Architect: Tadao Ando
Location: Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan
Year Completed: 1989
Religious Denomination: Presbyterian 
Size: 1216 sqft
Site/Context: Urban
23
Figure 26   Rudolf Stegers, Site Plan, right the chapel, left the 
Sunday school, Sacred Buildings: a Design Manual
The church is rectangular in form and compact in response to its urban environ-
ment. An additional wall slices the west side of the building at 15 degrees and 
continues through the rectangular space piercing the back wall. The interior of 
the church is austere with the major focus at a cruciform aperture that allows light 
into the dark worship space. The altar and lectern are located in front of the cru-
ciform aperture and rows of pews are positioned uniformly on either side of the 
center aisle aligned with the cross.
 The major takeaways of this precedent are the sloping of the worship 
space to focus attention to the altar wall and the use of void and light in the altar 
wall. This thesis also slopes the main worship space downward toward the altar 
to have a focusing effect, but does so in an effort to engage the sloping site as 
well. In addition, the altar wall in this thesis is subtly marked by a cruciform of the 
mullion patterning, and reinforced by a stream of water behind the major vertical 
element coming from the scupper in the butterfly roof.
24
Chapel of St. Ignatius
Architect: Steven Holl
Location: Seattle University, Seattle, Washington, USA
Year Completed: 1997
Religious Denomination: Jesuit/Roman Catholic
Size: 6100 sqft
Site/Context: Urban, University Campus
Architect Steven Holl designed the new university chapel to reflect the Jesuit 
spiritual exercises in which different methods help different people to achieve a 
similar goal. The underlying concept for the chapel was seven bottles of light in a 
stone box, in which each of the lights represents a different focal aspect of Cath-
olic worship and specific physical and spiritual spaces within the building. 
Figure 27   Steven Holl, St. Ignatius Chapel, architectureacademia.wordpress.com
25
Figure 28   Joe Mabel, Seattle U St. Ignatius, 
commons.wikimedia.org
Figure 29   Joe Mabel, Seattle U St. Ignatius, 
commons.wikimedia.org
Figure 30   Mary Ann Sullivan, Plan, bluffton.edu
 The major takeaway from this precedent was how its placement within an 
already existing campus served to organize the spaces around it. While parking 
lots and green spaces existed as an amorphous void before the chapel was built, 
the siting of the chapel allowed those spaces to be formalized and organized. 
Similarly, the siting of this thesis creates more formalized public and pastoral 
spaces, though it also proposes a good amount a development of the surround-
ing context in order to better define those spaces. 
26
Chapel of Silence
Architect: KS2 Architects
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Year Completed: 2012
Religious Denomination: Ecumenical
Size: 3229 sqft
Site/Context: Urban
The chapel is meant to be a place where people can have a moment of silence 
in the middle of one of the busiest areas of Finland. The main chapel is an alder 
lined rounded space that blocks out everything from the outside except the light 
coming in from above. Furnishing on the interior are simple and made from ash 
trees. The curved shape of the building allows the space and views to flow in the 
urban setting as well as making the chapel approachable form all directions.
 The major takeaways from this precedent are the distinction of the sacred 
as a unique object in space and the ability of the chapel to organize the sur-
rounding spaces. The general rounded form and material nature of the Chapel 
of Silence are distinct from the character of the surrounding buildings, and distin-
Figure 31   Matti Mattila, Kamppi Chapel, 
flickr.com
Figure 32   Helio Dias, Chapel of Silence, flickr.
com
27
guish the chapel as a sacred space. Similarly this thesis utilizes a material palette 
and unique form and orientation to set it apart from its profane environment. In 
addition, like the last precedent, this one organizes a series of voids into distinct 
plazas. This thesis attempts to similarly organize space, creating specific zones 
for civic use and other zones dedicated to reflection andthe natural environment.
What makes a space sacred?
 In the Christian tradition, making a space sacred is as simple as following 
the instructions of Jesus, “ For where two or three are gathered together in my 
name, there I am in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). This implies that every-
thing else is nonessential. However, the creation of sacred spaces is critical for 
humans and a human construct, built not for the gods as we might protest, but 
for ourselves. As philosopher and theologian Jonathan Smith noted, an object 
becomes sacred when attention is focused on it in a highly marked way. If such 
is true then certain elements or markers serve to enhance the sacredness of the 
worship environment. Great minds, to include Rudolph Otto, Mircea Eliade, Jona-
than Z. Smith, and Eugene Walter, have posited on the nature of such elements, 
though each has a different approach to what makes a space sacred. Generally 
the markers of sacred space are organized into three major categories: architec-
tural, archetypal, and atmospheric.
 The three physical aspects of the architecture of sacred space are the 
gate, the pathway, and the place, each mirroring the pilgrim’s progress in a spiri-
tual quest. The gate represents the desire, the path repsresents the journey, and 
the place represents the attainment of spiritual insight. This can be further broken 
down into both exterior and interior elements, with the interior elements as portal, 
path, and place.
 Archetypal elements are symbols of a cosmic order and an unconscious 
28
link to the realm of the sacred. This study explores universal, religious/mythic, 
and geometric archetypes. The universal referes to an ancient concept of the 
fourt primary elements: earth, air, fire, water. Each element can be represented in 
multiple ways: gardens representing earth, clerestory windows representing air, 
flickering candles representing fire, and fonts representing water.
 Religious/mythic refers to those archetypes most commonly associated 
with cultural identification to religious beliefs. These harken back to Eliade’s study 
of the history of religion and are identified as axial pillar, tree, stone, and sacred 
mountain. The axial pillar is the symbol of passage from one cosmic region to an-
other. The tree represents human origins, growth, renewal, and knowledge. The 
stone is often used as a marker, to have magical powers to heal, guide, house 
divinity, and mark places of burial. Lastly the mountain is often considered the 
dwelling place of the gods.
 Geometric archetypes refer to the use of sacred geometries, or pure geo-
metric forms such as squares, circles, triangles, and composites of these. While 
the circle represents the divine, the square represents man, or the manifestation 
of the divine. In addition the square symbolizes the four elements and the four 
cardinal directions. The triangle connotates the trinity of the Father, Son, and the 
Holy Spirit.
 The third major category of sacred space markers is atmospheric ambi-
guities in which the meaning lies not in the final state but in the transition zone 
between. The state of becoming, the transitioning between light becoming dark, 
emptiness becoming profuseness, humility becoming monumentaility or noise 
dimming to silence are the portals to the sacred experience. 
29
Chapter 5:  Site Selection and Analysis
US dioceses and membership statistics and  trends in growth and  
decline
 Because most data gathered about the growth and decline in membership 
and the number of active parishes are given in terms of provinces and dioceses, 
it is important to understand the basics of how the church organizes itself geo-
graphically. The basic component of the Episcopal Church is the parish or con-
gregation (Figure 33) which often refers to the church building itself, but is actu-
Figure 33   Parish: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, google 
maps
ally representative of the community of the church (Figure 34). The parish has no 
geographic boundaries, however, and is led by either a rector, priest, or deacon 
(ordained leadership) and either a warden or a vestry (lay leadership). While 
cities often have a collection of parishes within their borders, there is no official 
city-level organization or leadership (Figure 35). That being said, there are some 
cities that have so many parishes that the city warrants designation as a diocese. 
Official associations of a number of parishes into a specific geographic boundary 
30
are dioceses (Figure 36). Typically a diocese is composed of a state or a part of 
a state, and is headed by a bishop and a diocesan convention. Regional associ-
ations of a number of dioceses are called provinces (Figure 37), and are headed 
solely by lay leadership, called a president. The Episcopal Church is geographi-
cally divided into nine provinces, the first eight of which, for the most part, corre-
spond to regions of the United States (Figure 38). 
By looking at the statistics on growth and decline, one can see that all provinces 
Figure 34   Parish: St. Peter’s Episcopal 
Church, google maps
Figure 35   City, Charlotte, NC, google maps
Figure 36   Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, 
google maps
Figure 37   Province of Sewanee, google 
maps
31
have experiences net losses in membership over the last decade and net losses 
in active parishes from 2012 to 2013 (Figure 39).
However, by looking at individual dioceses within each province, there are still 
instances of growth in membership and in numbers of active parishes within 
Figure 38   Provinces of the Episcopal Church of the United States
Figure 39   Province decline. This table shows percentage changes in church membership over 
between 2003 and 2013 and percentage change in number of active parishes between 2012 
and 2013.
32
the dioceses. Interestingly, no diocese showed growth in both membership and 
active parishes, and often there were wide swings with growth in one category 
and severe decline in another. However three diocese demonstrated growth in 
one category and only mild decline in another (Figure 40). Of those three, the 
Diocese of South Carolina recently dissociated from the Episcopal Church and 
joined the global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans.
Figure 40   Dioceses with indications of growth. This table shows percentage changes in church 
membership over between 2003 and 2013 and percentage change in number of active par-
ishes between 2012 and 2013.
Figure 41   Dioceses of North Carolina and Tennessee
33
The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina comprises over 49,000 members and 
117 congregations, covering 38 counties in the central part of North Carolina, 
from Iredell County to Edgecombe County, and from Caswell County to Scotland 
County (Figure 41). The Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee extends between the 
northern and southern borders or Tennessee, the Tennessee River to the west, 
and approximately the Eastern Timeline. It has approximately 15,000 members 
and 51 congregations (Figure 41).
Selection Methodology
 The growing dioceses of Tennessee and North Carolina indicate potential 
need for additional Episcopal worship spaces and narrow the field for possible 
sites. Because this thesis attempts to make a case for collocating worship space 
with spaces of heavy community use and access, a more urban environment 
would more readily provide the necessary density and supporting infrastructure. 
Thus, each of the six largest cities within the growing dioceses were analyzed 
to locate potential sites. To address specific issues of ethnic diversity and urban 
character, I explored each city through the lens of Hispanic and African American 
populations and population densities. By overlaying ethnic population maps with 
current locations of Episcopal churches, I was able to select focus areas where 
populations of Hispanics and African Americans were high and under-served by 
local Episcopal churches. Each of these focus areas provided a search radius to 
help identify specific possible sites. Once several potential sites were identified, I 
applied a selection rubric based upon desired site criteria.
City Analysis
 The six largest cities in the dioceses of Tennessee and North Carolina 
were analyzed in order of their populations (Figure 42).
34
 
Charlotte, NC, had concentrations of Hispanic populations both southeast and 
southwest of the city center (Figure 43), and had concentrations of African Amer-
Figure 42   Major Cities within Growing Dioceses, author
Figure 43   Charlotte, NC, Hispanic 
population, US Census
Figure 44   Charlotte, NC, African 
American population, US Census
Figure 45   Charlotte, NC, Population 
density
Figure 46   Charlotte, NC, Episco-
pal church locations
35
ican populations northwest and west of the city center (Figure 44). Episcopal 
churches were generally more centrally located (Figure 46). 
Two focus areas were identified east and northeast of the city center (Figure 47), and 
within one of those a potential site was identified (Figure 48). 
The Charlotte site is located along a major road, and is adjacent to a school, 
a car dealership, and several hoes and small businesses. The site is currently 
heavily wooded, so the nature of the ground plane and drainage on the site is 
unclear (Figure 49 and Figure 50).
Figure 47   Charlotte, NC, Hispanic 
and African American populations, 
population density, Episcopal 
church locations, and potential 
focus areas
Figure 48   Charlotte, NC, Identi-
fied focus areas
Figure 49   Charlotte, NC, Focus area 
with identified potential site location
Figure 50   Charlotte, NC, Potential 
site location
36
Nashville, TN, had concentrations of Hispanic populations to the southeast of the city 
center (Figure 51), and had concentrations of African American populations to the 
northwest of the city center (Figure 52).
Episcopal churches were general located in Nashville’s central core, with some 
dispersal to the north, southeast, and southwest (Figure 54).
Two focus areas were located north and east of the city center (Figure 55), but 
neither of those areas contained opportunities for a potential site (Figure 56).
Figure 51   Nashville, TN, Hispanic 
populations
Figure 52   Nashville, TN, African Ameri-
can populations
Figure 53   Nashville, TN, Population 
density
Figure 54   Nashville, TN, Episcopal 
church locations
37
Raleigh, NC, had concentrations of Hispanic populations to the northeast, east 
and west of the city center (Figure 57), and had concentrations of African Ameri-
can populations to the east of the city center (Figure 58).
Figure 55   Nashville, TN, Hispanic and 
African American populations, population 
density, Episcopal church locations, and 
identified focus areas
Figure 56   Nashville, TN, Identified focus 
areas
Figure 57   Raleigh, NC, Hispanic populations Figure 58   Raleigh, NC, African American 
populations
Figure 59   Raleigh, NC, Population densities Figure 60   Raleigh, NC, Episcopal church 
locations
38
Episcopal churches were located both in the city center and along the peripheries 
of the city (Figure 60). Two focus areas were located to the east and northeast of 
the city center (Figure 61) and within one of those a potential site was identified 
(Figure 62).
The Raleigh site is located within a large shopping center, adjacent to sever-
al residential neighborhoods (Figure 73 and Figure 74). The property contains 
several big box stores and ample parking lots, creating potential for either adap-
tive reuse or new development. A collection pond exists at the south part of the 
site and serves as the head of a series of hydrology flows. In addition, the site is 
situated along a heavily traveled boulevard, and consistently is populated with 
shoppers throughout the day.
Figure 61   Raleigh, NC, Hispanic and African 
American populations, population density, 
Epsicopal church locations, and identified focus 
areas
Figure 62   Raleigh, NC, Identified focus 
areas
Figure 63   Raleigh, NC, Focus area 
with identified potential site
Figure 64   Raleigh, NC, Potential site location
39
Greensboro, NC, has concentrations of Hispanic populations to the southwest 
and northeast of the city center (Figure 65), and has concentrations of African 
American populations to the southeast and east of city center (Figure 66).
Episcopal churches are generally located within and to the north of the city center 
(Figure 68).
Two focus areas were located to the southwest and east of the city center (Figure 
69), and within one of those a potential site was identified (Figure 70).
Figure 65   Greensboro, NC, Hispanic 
populations
Figure 66   Greensboro, NC, African 
American populations
Figure 67   Greensboro, NC, Popula-
tion densities
Figure 68   Greensboro, NC, Episco-
pal church locations
40
The Greensboro site is located within a residential neighborhood, adjacent to 
housing, churches, and a large cemetery (Figure 71 and Figure 72). The property 
is currently underutilized park land and has a stream running through the south-
ern portion of the site. Near this site is a housing development with a variety of 
housing types.
Durham, NC, has weaker concentrations of Hispanic populations to the northeast and 
southwest of the city center (Figure 73), and concentrations of African American popula-
tions to the north and south of city center (Figure 74).
Figure 69   Greensboro, NC, Hispanic 
and African American populations, 
population densities, Episcopal church 
locations, and potential focus areas
Figure 70   Greensboro, NC, Identified 
focus areas
Figure 71   Greensboro, NC, focus area 
with identified potential site
Figure 72   Greensboro, NC, Potential site location
41
Episcopal churches are concentrated around the city center (Figure 76). No focus 
areas were identified to pursue further (Figure 77).
Figure 73   Durham, NC, 
Hispanic populations
Figure 74   Durham, NC, 
African American popu-
lations
Figure 75   Durham, NC, Popu-
lation densities
Figure 76   Durham, NC, Epis-
copal church locations
Figure 77   Durham, NC, Hispanic and African 
American populations, population densities, Epis-
copal church locations, and potential focus areas
42
Winston-Salem, NC, has concentrations of Hispanics to the southeast of the city 
center (Figure 78), and concentrations of African Americans to the east of city 
center (Figure 79).
Episcopal churches are generally located within and to the east and west of the 
city center (Figure 81).
Two focus areas were identified to the east and southeast of the city center (Fig-
ure 82), and within one of those a potential site was identified (Figure 83).
Figure 78   Winston-Salem, NC, Hispanic 
populations
Figure 79   Winston-Salem, NC, African 
American populations
Figure 80   Winston-Salem, NC, Population 
densities
Figure 81   Winston-Salem, NC, Episco-
pal church locations
43
The Winston-Salem site is located within a residential neighborhood, adjacent to 
housing and several churches (Figure 84 and Figure 85). The property is current-
ly underutilized park land and houses a community center and community pool. 
The site is removed from the main commercial road and resides within the quiet 
neighborhood.
Site Selection
 Each of the four identified potential sites were evaluated using a rubric of 
pertinent desired characteristics. The criteria of access to park, community cen-
ter, and schools were all evaluated in terms of distance from the site, with closer 
Figure 82   Winston-Salem, NC, Hispan-
ic and African American populations, 
population densities, Episcopal church 
locations, and potential focus areas
Figure 83   Winston-Salem, NC, 
Identified focus areas
Figure 84   Winston-Salem, NC, Focus 
area with identified potential site
Figure 85   Winston-Salem, NC, Potential site location
44
distances receiving higher point values. The criteria of distance from Episcopal 
churches was evaluated using the opposite criteria, with greater distances re-
ceiving higher values. The criteria of urban character, diversity of housing, how 
anchored the site is within the community, the conditions of the current site, and 
amount of bustling activity were all qualitatively evaluated with better conditions 
receiving higher point values. Finally, the size of the young adult population was 
evaluated by giving higher point values to higher percentage populations of per-
sons under the age of 35 (Figure 86).
1= 8 + blocks away
2= 3-7 blocks away
3= 2 blocks or less Charlotte, NC Raleigh, NC Greensboro, NC Winston-Salem, NC
CRITERIA SITE 1 SITE 2 SITE 3 SITE 4
access to park 3 2 3 3
access to community center 1 2 3 3
access to schools 3 2 3 3
urban character 1 3 2 1
diversity of housing 2 3 3 2
anchored in neighborhood 2 2 3 3
current conditions 2 2 2 2
size of young adult 
population 2 3 2 1
distance from Episcopal 
church 2 3 1 1
bustling activity 1 3 1 1
total 19 25 23 20
Figure 86   Site selection rubric
 The site with the greatest total was the Raleigh site, although the Greens-
boro site was also very close in point totals. The deciding factors between the 
two leading sites rested decidedly on the quantity of activity already on the Ra-
leigh site and on ethnic populations, with Raleigh’s having strong but balanced 
Hispanic and African American populations, and Greensboro’s having a more 
45
definitive African American population. By choosing the Raleigh site and anchor-
ing a church within a strip mall, I am able to take full advantage of collocating the 
church with active areas of work and community. Not only could this idea refer 
to the Hispanic cultural vestige of the plaza and community gatherings that take 
place there, but it could also address issues of how the sacred might exist within 
the profane. 
Site Analysis
 The site, located within Capital Crossing Shopping Center in Northeast 
Raleigh, rests upon approximately 63 acres of commercially developed land 
along the heavily traveled Capital Boulevard (US Route 1). The region relies 
almost entirely on automobiles and public transportation, as evidenced by the 
low densities of built form and the large gaps in walking radii between community 
institutions such as churches and schools (Figure 87).
Figure 87   Regional churches, schools, and quarter-mile walking radii
46
Figure 88   Building typologies diagram
 The site itself is a collection of big box stores and small fast food type 
restaurants. Clockwise from the east entrance of the site is a Chick-fil-A restau-
rant, a Lowe’s Home Improvement, a Sam’s Club, an At Home and a Pet Smart 
sharing the northwest building, a Steak ‘n’ Shake, and a vacant property (for-
merly a grocery store) sharing the northeast building with a Staples and an A. C. 
Moore Arts & Crafts (Figure 88). A sizable retention pond is located to the south 
end of the site and serves as the head of system of hydrology flows moving 
southward into the surrounding neighborhoods. The remainder of the site is wide 
expanses of parking lots and site circulation (Figure 91). The existing circulation 
is organized around a central roundabout, with four main entrance roads to the 
cardinal directions, thus dividing the site into four quadrants (Figure 89). A cen-
tral clock tower located in the roundabout serves as a landmark and monument 
within the site (Figure 90).
47
Figure 89   Site circulation
Figure 90   Site photo of clock tower in central roundabout of shopping center
48
 Currently the activity levels on the site are concentrated around the Lowe’s 
Home Improvement, the Sam’s Club, and the two restaurants. The amount of 
parking was vastly underutilized, though some portion was used at Lowe’s for 
storage of large outdoor items and a another was used for a fireworks tent set up 
between the main entrance and the roundabout. This illustrates the potential for 
the parking lots to act as something more than simply places to park cars.
Figure 92   Existing buildings, roads, hydrology, and topography
Figure 91   Site photo of vast parking lots as viewed from the clock tower
49
Figure 93   Site photo of change in topography from main boulevard down to 
the site
Figure 94   Site photo of retention pond at south end of site
 A challenge of the site is the grade changes, both across the site, slop-
ing downward towards the retention pond at the south end of the site, and into 
the site, sloping down from surrounding roads into the site itself (Figure 92 and 
Figure 93). With the majority of the site being impermeable surfaces, water will 
50
essentially be funneled from the surround roads, across the site, and into the 
retention pond along Calvary Drive (Figure 94). Thus any design must be mindful 
of the existing nature of how water moves into the system of hydrology flows.
 A consequence of the topography of the site includes the odd inward fac-
ing character of the existing buildings. While the shopping center resides along 
a major boulevard, the only building to actually address Capital Boulevard is the 
Chick-fil-A, and even in that case, the restaurant is set back from the road, only 
visible because of its placement at the main entrance (Figure 95). The other 
Figure 95   Site photo of shopping center entrance along main boulevard
Figure 96   Site photo of landscaped buffer between site and main boulevard
51
restaurant also faces outward to the significantly less traveled East Millbrook 
Road, and is similarly positioned as set back from the entrance. All other build-
ings on the site address the interior of the site, turning their backs and side to 
the surrounding roads. Perhaps such a move was done to avoid addressing the 
potentially problematic topographic changes. To compound the problem, a land-
scaped buffer exists between the surrounding roads and the site, not only dis-
couraging the walk-ability of the site, but also preventing any visibility of the site 
from the main road (Figure 96).
 The site is bordered on the west and south by residential neighborhoods, 
and to the north and east by commercial and small office buildings. Additional 
residential neighborhoods lie immediately east of the commercial strip across 
Capital Boulevard (Figure 88). These neighborhoods consist of both detached 
single family homes and small scale, garden-type apartments. The character and 
density of the residential communities starkly contrast the large scale buildings 
and open, unused space on the site (Figure 97 and Figure 98). Potential designs 
Figure 97   Existing buildings, roads, hydrology, and topography
52
Figure 98   Site sections through existing buildings and topography
53
Figure 99   Public open spaces diagram
could attempt to better transition between the two zones through multiple scales 
of built form, and creating connections from neighborhood streets, thus densify-
ing the site and making more interesting and walkable paths from the surround-
ing communities.
 While most nearby public open spaces are concentrated adjacent to or 
within neighborhoods (Figure 99), those locations do not take advantage of a 
truly public space. Due to the large nature of the site, potentials exist for incorpo-
rating public open space into the site design. Opportunities include open green 
spaces, landscaped courtyards, or flexible outdoor spaces reminiscent of the 
plazas of the Hispanic cultural past.
 The vacant store, a former grocery store, also provides some unique 
potential for the development of the site (Figure 100). The size of the facility is 
62,181 square feet, which is similar to the proposed church program. In recent 
54
Figure 100   Site photo of vacant store, formerly a grocery store
years, many churches have opted for adaptive reuse of existing box stores in-
stead of new construction for the obvious financial benefits. However, those 
adaptations are often less than successful and worshipers can feel the remnants 
of the building’s shell. Reuse of the building could include parts of the program 
secondary or tertiary to worship, thus relieving potential discomfort in trying to 
make the once-grocery store into a sacred place.
55
Chapter 6:  Program
General Program Requirements
 The church complex houses not only the major church components, but 
also a community center, school, and serveral community serving elements. 
Those elements that are more public, such as the community outreach and 
the family life center, should be located along the civic plaza such that they are 
accessible to the public without making people travel into the depths of the com-
plex. The school should be easily accessible, but should also feel protected. 
This can be accomplished through siting the school itself, or positioning school 
entrances so they are monitored at all times. Lastly the main worship spaces 
can retreat somewhat from the civic plaza, but still need to have visibilty from the 
plaza. This is to ensure that rituals can spill out the church doors and still make a 
connection with people along the plaza.
56
100 Worship Areas     SUBTOTAL: 9,900 SF
A. General Description
Each of these areas unite to form the religious core of the church complex. The 
major goal of these assembled spaces is to better the spiritual well-being of each 
of the parishioners. 
B. General Relationships
Each of these program elements houses varying levels of activity. Quiet, inactive 
zones should be separated from louder, active areas. Care should also be taken 
to examine established and traditional relationships between program elements.
 101 Sanctuary       5,600 SF
 The sanctuary is the major worship space and should comfortably 
seat 350 people and allow for their full and active participation in 
liturgical celebrations. This space should include nave, a chancel 
with altar, and a baptistry. The sanctuary should have adequate 
daylighting, but not necessarily views toward the outside.
 102 Narthex       1,120 SF
Also called a gathering space, the narthex would accommodate up 
to 120 people, most standing but some sitting. It serves as space 
to congregate before and after services, but also can be used for 
other liturgical and parish functions. Properly designed, this space 
can substitute for a cry room.
 103 Choir        300 SF
This space should accommodate up to thirty choir members and 
various musical instruments. Usually near the chancel, the choir 
typically faces the congregation and often has tiered seating for 
better acoustics.
 104 Sacristy       180 SF
This space is used to store and prepare the bread and wine for 
communion. It is also where decorations and flowers are prepared. 
The sacristy usually contains a sink and a basin. The sacristy is 
often located near the altar.
 105 Chapel       900 SF
This is a smaller, secondary worship space with room for up to fifty 
parishioners. The chapel should include many of the same charac-
teristics as the sanctuary but at a smaller, more intimate scale.
 106 Vestry       250 SF
The vestry provides a space for rectors, deacons, and other wor-
ship  leaders to vest as well as for storage of vestments. This space 
may also be used as a changing room for the newly baptized.
 107 Bride’s Room      350 SF
This room provides a changing area and lounge for a bride and her 
attendants. It should include a small restroom or be adjoined to a 
larger women’s restroom.
57
 108 Choir Rehearsal Room     500 SF
This room should provide a space for choir rehearsal and storage 
of musical instruments, equipment, etc.
 109 Prayer Rooms      125 SF
These rooms provide places of private prayer with chairs and kneel-
ers.
 110 Bell Tower       200 SF
This place not only houses the church bells, but also is where wor-
ship leaders ring the bells during liturgical celebrations.
58
200 Fellowship Hall     SUBTOTAL: 7,360 SF
A. General Description
This programmed area forms the traditional social area of the church. Generally 
this area is available for meals after services as well as for coffee before and be-
tween services. This also serves as a multipurpose room for various other church 
and community functions.
B. General Relationships
Because this area is often used before and after services as well as during the 
week for school meals, it should be located in close proximity to the worship ar-
eas and to the school. Natural light should be available with the ability to dim the 
space for certain events or presentations.
 201 Dining Area       4,410 SF
Large assembly hall for  church gatherings and events. This space 
can also act as the cafeteria for the attached school.
 202 Kitchen       2,450 SF
Well-equipped kitchen for preparation of food for parish dining 
events and school meals and for preparation of refreshments to be 
served before and after services.
 203 Table and Chair Storage     500 SF
This space provides for storage of tables and chairs for the fellow-
ship hall.
59
300 Family Life Center     SUBTOTAL: 8,700 SF
A. General Description
This area of programmed space serves in essence as a community center. It 
provides ancillary spaces not only to parishioners, but also to members of the 
community at large. 
B. General Relationships
Each of these program elements houses varying levels of activity. Quiet, inac-
tive zones should be separated from louder, active areas. In addition, several of 
these program elements serve both the school and the community, so should be 
located with both audiences in mind.
 301 Basketball Court      6,000 SF
The court should have dimensions of 94 feet by 50 feet. This space 
is to be used not only by the attached school as a gym area, but 
also by the local community outside of school hours.
 302 Locker Rooms      500 SF
These should provide changing and showering areas, as well as 
lockers for storage. Both locker rooms should be located directed 
off the basketball court.
 
 303 Library       500 SF
This space includes a collection of books and media stations for 
use by both the school and the community. The library should have 
a good deal of daylighting and seating available. 
 304 Youth and Young Adult Area    1,200 SF
This space provides a lounge area for young parishioners and com-
munity members, separate from the more formal fellowship hall. It 
provides space to do homework, relax, and have informal worship 
groups.
60
400 Educational Space     SUBTOTAL: 10,260 SF
A. General Description
The school serves both as a primary and secondary school affiliated with the 
Episcopal Church. Many of the non-classroom elements of the school are shared 
resources with the church and wider community. Classrooms also double as Sun-
day school classrooms for both children and adults.
B. General Relationships
The educational program spaces should be located near the lobby and admin-
istrative suite, with classrooms for younger children being closer than those of 
older students.
 401 Classrooms       684 SF
Each of the 15 classrooms provides instructional space for up to 
18 students kindergarten through twelfth grade. Ideally there would 
be areas for gathering as a group and areas for sitting at desks 
or tables. Each of the classrooms needs to be able to function for 
Sunday school classes as well. 
61
500 Administrative Support    SUBTOTAL: 3,700 SF
A. General Description
This programmed area forms the operational core of the complex, housing offic-
es for both church and school staff. 
B. General Relationships
The administrative suite should be located adjacent to the lobby, school, and wor-
ship areas. It should be visible to visitors from the main lobby.
 501 Waiting Area      200 SF
This serves as the main reception area for the spiritual and admin-
istrative leadership of the church and school. 
	 502	 Rectors’	Offices	 	 	 	 	 	 250	SF
Both the rector’s and assistant rector’s offices include space for a 
desk, a small table for meetings, shelving and filing cabinets.
	 503	 Staff	Offices		 	 	 	 	 	 200	SF
Each of the four staff offices provide ample space for a desk, com-
puter work station, and visitor seating
 504 Conference Area      300 SF
Meeting space for up to twenty people and other large groups. The 
conference room is located either within or adjacent to the adminis-
trative suite.
 505 Work Station      300 SF
Each of the four work stations contain desk space and computer 
stations for two people. 
 506 Work Room       400 SF
The work room contains space for a copier, fax machine, printer/
scanner, and space for collating printed documents. The work room 
is located near staff offices and work stations.
 507 Lobby       300 SF
The lobby serves as the entry to the school and church complex, 
separate from the narthex. The lobby should be in a central loca-
tion, near the administrative suite, the school, and other community 
amenities.
62
600 Community Outreach    SUBTOTAL: 3,100 SF
A. General Description
This area of programming is meant to reach out to community members not nec-
essarily involved with the church. The services provided are not implicitly spiritu-
al, but are meant to provide for unmet community needs.
B. General Relationships
Each of the community outreach services should be accessible to the community 
without formally entering the church. 
 601 Community Garden     500 SF
This outdoor space provides a plot of land for growing and tending 
produce. 
 602 Farmer’s Market      300 SF
This indoor/outdoor space provides a venue for the sale of produce 
from the nearby community garden or from community vendors.
 603 Career Services      500 SF
This space assists community with job and career searches. Com-
puter workstations are available as well as private offices for one on 
one counseling or interviewing.
 
 604 Café        600 SF
This space provides a venue for coffee and light fare and includes 
an outdoor seating area.
 605 Daycare       1,200 SF
These spaces allow for the comfortable and safe care of up to 30 
infants and toddlers. These spaces are available to parishioners 
during services and to community members during the week.
63
700 Services and Support    SUBTOTAL: 5,800 SF
A. General Description
These spaces provide the necessary support for the entire building and all its 
functions.
B. General Relationships
Unless noted below, these spaces do not require adjacency to any other program 
elements, and can be grouped in one area. Natural daylight is not required in 
these spaces, so they can be located below grade if necessary.
 701 Mechanical Room      3,000 SF
This space should be of sufficient size to house all mechanical 
equipment. Consider locating centrally in the building. It should 
have access to the outside.
 702 Electrical Room      1,000 SF
This space should be of sufficient size to house all electrical equip-
ment. Consider locating centrally in the building. It should have 
access to the outside. 
 703 Telecommunications Room    500 SF
This space should be located centrally to the library, administrative 
suite, and career center. 
	 704	 Building	Engineer’s	Office	 	 	 	 200	SF
The building engineer’s office should be located near the mechan-
ical and electrical rooms. It should have ample space for a desk, 
computer work station, and filing cabinets.
 705 Custodial Closets      50 SF
For storage or custodial supplies and equipment, and includes a 
service sink. These are to be distributed throughout the building, 
typically near restrooms.
 706 Bathrooms       150 SF
Toilet rooms for men, women, and family restrooms are to be dis-
tributed throughout the building. These should be located near 
areas of relatively high activity.
      
64
Program Summary
100 SUBTOTAL: 9,900 SF
101 Sanctuary 5,600 SF
102 Narthex 1,120 SF
103 Choir 300 SF
104 Sacristy 180 SF
105 Chapel 900 SF
106 Vestry 250 SF
107 Bride's Room 350 SF
108 Choir Rehearsal Room 500 SF
109 Prayer Rooms 500 SF
110 Bell Tower 200 SF
200 SUBTOTAL: 7,360 SF
201 Dining Area 4,410 SF
202 Kitchen 2,450 SF
203 Table and Chair Storage 500 SF
300 SUBTOTAL: 8,700 SF
301 Basketball Court 6,000 SF
302 Locker Rooms 1,000 SF
303 Library 500 SF
304 Youth and Young Adult Area 1,200 SF
400 SUBTOTAL: 10,260 SF
401 Classrooms 10,260 SF
500 Administrative Support SUBTOTAL: 3,700 SF
501 Waiting Area 200 SF
502 Rector's Office 500 SF
503 Staff Offices 800 SF
504 Conference Area 300 SF
505 Work Station 1,200 SF
506 Work Room 400 SF
507 Lobby 300 SF
600 Community Outreach SUBTOTAL: 3,100 SF
601 Community Garden 500 SF
602 Farmer's Market 300 SF
603 Career Services 500 SF
604 Café 600 SF
605 Daycare 1,200 SF
700 SUBTOTAL: 5,800 SF
701 Mechanical Room 3,000 SF
702 Electrical Room 1,000 SF
703 Telecommunications Room 500 SF
704 Building Engineer's Office 200 SF
705 Custodial Closets 200 SF
706 Bathrooms 900 SF
SUBTOTAL: 14,646 SF
63,466 SF
Services and Support
Circulation (at 30%)
TOTAL
Worship Areas
Fellowship Hall
Family Life Center
Educational Space
65
Chapter 7:  Design Process
Urban Form Strategies
 While looking at strategies for addressing built form on the chosen site, 
it becomes evident that attention must be given to the urban nature of the site. 
In order to foster better, more walkable communities with denser mixed-used 
blocks, that are more readily able to encourage new community churches and 
schools, I must do more than simply place a church on an open site. While the 
church may succeed without other urban interventions, it is more likely to suc-
ceed if the surrounding urban fabric and community is enriched. Because I feel 
I cannot address the church without addressing the development of the rest of 
the site, I will spend some time exploring potential site solutions. However, as the 
church remains at the heart of my thesis, I will focus more effort into the devel-
opment of the church itself and specific moments within and surrounding the 
church.
Figure 101   Urban site design process diagrams
66
Figure 102   Urban site design diagrams
67
 Priorities for designing the site included creating a connection to the 
surrounding neighborhoods via the hydrology flows, creating a civic plaza rem-
iniscent of the historic plazas of Hispanic culture, dividing the site into walkable 
blocks populated with mixed use buildings, maintaining ample parking for existing 
and proposed businesses and residences, establishing a duality of location with 
both a public civic side and a more private pastoral side, and developing a hierar-
chy of the church complex within the surrounding site.
Ritual of Place
 While diagramming and developing the site plan and sections allows one 
to determine how to best place the church and associated program on the site, 
the approach to design is from the outside in, and can often feel very detached 
from the personal nature of the church. In order to remain connected to the very 
personal moments evident in everyday church rituals, I opted to simultaneously 
design from the inside out. This allows me to identify several rituals or events 
basic to church and community life, and diagram and depict the space of those 
rituals even before necessarily addressing where the entire building might be lo-
cated on the site. By designing simultaneously both from the outside in and from 
the inside out, I can allow one method to influence the other and vice-versa.
Figure 103   Baptism | Cleansing | Font
68
Figure 106   Funeral | Mourning
Figure 105   Wedding | Joining
Figure 104   Ringing of the bells | Bell tower | Call to prayer
69
Figure 107   Prayer | Service | Sanctuary
Figure 108   Sunday school | Learning
Figure 109   Healthfulness | Eating well | Market
70
Building Form Strategies
 In determining the design of the church complex itself, the concept 
evolved through a similar series of priorities. The first was to allow more public or 
outward spaces to edge the civic plaza. The second was for more reflective or in-
ward spaces to be adjacent to water. The third was to create an interior or private 
courtyard specifically for members of the church community. The next was to 
create a visual connection between the civic plaza and the sanctuary. Finally was 
the connection of the interior courtyard to the water.
Figure 110   Building design schemes
71
Figure 111   Building design scheme
Figure 112   Sanctuary form study 
72
Chapter 8:  Design Proposal
 Three neighborhood blocks were developed, each with ground level re-
tail and apartments or townhomes above, and each contains an elevated green 
located above surface level parking. The church complex contains several retail 
and community serving establishments, a community center, and a school, in 
addition to the church itself. The church connects with a series of ponds flowing 
down into a larger retention pond which connects back into the community hy-
drology flows.
Figure 113   Urban scale site plan
73
 The more public or outward reaching spaces, such as the cafe, career 
center, farmers market, daycare, and commuity center, edge the civic plaza and 
allow the public to engage the edge condition of the church complex. In order 
to connect water to the more reflective and inward reaching programmatic ele-
ments, a rill flows along one edge of the sanctuary and empties into a pool be-
yond the altar wall. A private courtyard allows church members to congregate 
outside for church functions and is in essence a series of outdoor rooms. While 
the sanctuary does retreat somewhat from the edge of the complex, it still main-
tains a visual connection with the civic plaza. This allows outsiders to understand 
the sacred nature of the church complex and also allows certain rituals to spill out 
Figure 114   Places diagram
Figure 115   Site section through plaza
74
of the church doors and make connections with people sitting across the plaza. 
Finally, the interior courtyard maintains a connection with the water. This not only 
allows church members to realize their spiritual connection through water, but 
also allows them to better understand their ecological responsibilities and stew-
ardship of the earth.
Figure 116   Site plan, first floor
Figure 117   Enlarged first floor plan, school and community center
75
Figure 118   Enlarged first floor plan, sanctuary and community outreach
Figure 119   Site plan, second floor
Figure 120   Enlarged second floor plan, school and community center
76
 While the community elements, the school and fellowship hall attempt to 
maintain the orthogonal and material character of the surrounding existing build-
ings, the sanctuary distinguishes itself as a unique and sacred entity in both its 
rotated orientation, its materiality, and its upward driving force.
Figure 121   Enlarged second floor plan, sanctuary and community outreach
Figure 122   North elevation
Figure 123   Entry perspective
77
 The sanctuary is designed with clear glazing along the base of the main 
aisle which creates a visual connection with the water in the rill flowing just out-
side. In addition, the exterior walkway emphasizes the importance of water by 
continuing the length of the complex from the bell tower to the retention pond.
Figure 124   West elevation
Figure 125   Church courtyard section elevation
Figure 126   Cross section
Figure 127   Longitudinal section through sanctuary
78
Figure 128   Sanctuary wall section
79
 Some of the more prominent pathways on the site speak to its duality. The 
one outside the fellowship hall, allowing the hall to expand outside on nice days, 
gestures toward the water and the trees, emphasizing the importance of natu-
ral stewardship to the church. The other spans the length of the sanctuary and 
reaches across into the civic plaza toward the bell tower, emphasizing the impor-
tance of serving the community.
Figure 129   School courtyard section elevation
Figure 130   Fellowship hall perspective
80
Figure 131   Sanctuary perspective
81
Chapter 9:  Conclusions
Fellowship Hall
 During the final public review of the thesis project, some attention was 
brought to the location of the fellowship hall. As shown in some of the plans, it is 
located at the south end of the building housing the school and the community 
center. While it is accessible from the pass through at the west edge of the site, it 
is not nearly as public as the community outreach elements along the civic plaza.  
If the fellowship hall were located such that the community could more easily ac-
cess it, the facility could be used for a variety of events to include community fo-
rums, club meetings, etc. While this is very true, the location of the hall has much 
to do with the relationship to the attached school. Because the hall will serve as 
the dining and assembly space for the school during the week, it was necessary 
for it to have a somewhat protected location. The current siting allows supervised 
access points for use by the school during the day, but also is near one of the 
proposed roads for easy access by the community at night.
Interior Spaces
 One comment by the jurors was to the effect that most of the process work 
demonstrated careful examination of the external form, but not necessarily of the 
interior spaces. Similar exercises could have been utilized to determine those in-
ternal spaces. While this critique is well founded as it pertains to the final design, 
interior spaces were not completely left as the remnant of exterior forms. Earlier 
in the design process I utilized an “inside-out” exercise in order to visualize the 
interior spaces of ritual, however I placed such rituals within the context of the 
82
existing exterior site. In this way, the lines between interior and exterior, between 
public and private, and between sacred and profane are blurred. Jurors seemed 
enthusiastic about the overlapping sensibilities which was evident not only in 
these ritual perspectives, but also in the plans and main ideas for the project. 
Some pressed that this grey zone could have been pushed even further and that 
my plans developed into something too neatly divided.
Beyond the Site
  There was some discussion about the level of development of the civic 
plaza, particularly the buildings edging the plaza outside the church complex. 
Some jurors stated that in order to create a convincing civic plaza, the charac-
ter of the buildings along the plaza really needed to be developed more. While I 
agree with the need for further development, the direction of the thesis drove the 
level of detail into the church complex itself. Because this thesis is essentially 
about the Episcopal Church, more attention was paid to the church than to the 
surrounding buildings.
 Other jurors found the notion interesting about zooming out in the context 
of the surrounding neighborhoods and the design proposal creating a “backyard 
spine” through the neighboring communities. In essence the green spaces and 
pathways introduce public into non-public areas, which continue to break down 
barriers and reinforce the blurring of zones and dualities. Future efforts could 
be made to strengthen the connections between the proposed site and the sur-
rounding neighborhoods to create a system of spaces along the spine. 
 While the Episcopal Church has struggled with declining membership over 
the past decade, their response needs to take into account the lives and moti-
vations of a more modern society. To reimagine the church, one must not try to 
bring people to the church, but must bring the church to the people.
83
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