the Neutral Sacred Space

territory of several denominations were indicated by colours and the dome and white are shared as a sacred place

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Mosque & Synagogue in Antwerp, within twentieth-century belt

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the Conflict

conflicts among culture, religions, architecture and territory

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the Journey of Time

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Authenticity

perception - a certain length of time pass repeatedly

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Eternity

perception - insensitive to time

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Transiency

perception - sensitive and concentrate on specific moment

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the Conflict of Context

site on boundaries, among the new and old context, a cross the infrastructure

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The conflict in Antwerp is recessive, hard to notice in corners of city. However, they lie within the crowd of pedestrians, lie across the infrastructures and among the religious buildings. 48% of inhabitant in Antwerp has immigration background. The mapping of religious buildings indicated that those inhabitants lives within their enclosed neighbourhoods with similar religion and culture, separated by physical boundaries.

The thesis is about proposing a spiritual space at the city centre of Antwerp. A model of the Church of Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, indicates the territory of several denominations by colours. And the dome in white is shared by everyone as a sacred place. A neutral and spiritual space is needed in a city like Antwerp, as same as the Church of Holy Sepulchre.

What is spirituality ? What lies between spirituality and architecture? The research came up with a conclusion of ‘Time’. The self-transcendence experience could always match to specific perception of different moments in architecture through the use of light and shadow. They imply time and thus spirituality in architecture. The journey of time offer a retreat from the conflict, from the city and chaos, where speed of vehicle, reflection from curtain wall and noise interfered the perception of time, and bring spirituality with the expression of different moments and self-transcendence experience.

The design occupied both sides of the site and connected through underground space. It breaks the physical boundary, ie. the traffic and infrastructure, between enclosed neighbourhoods. The design goes deeper into underground progressively, as thresholds between the spiritual space and the (physical and visual impact of) the city. The journey of time start from ‘Chaos’ (city), then ‘Authenticity’, to ‘Eternity’ and finally arrive ‘Transiency’, forming the compress process. Then it would go through a decompress process, from ‘Eternity’ , to ‘Authenticity’ and finally back to ‘Chaos’, no matter which side the visitors start their journey.