Anca Iliescu

THIS THESIS CHALLENGES THE RELIGIOUS STATUS QUO IN THE COPENHAGEN SOCIETY:

I) BY REDEFINING THE TEMPLE TYPOLOGY IN A NON-RELIGIOUS SOCIETY
II) THROUGH AN ARCHITECTURE THAT RELATES, MEDIATES AND PROJECTS MEANING
III) IN CREATING AN OPPOSING NON-RELIGIOUS SOCIAL STRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS HUMANS IN TIME OF GRIEF AND CELEBRATION

IN A SOCIETY WHERE THE RELIGIOUS FEELING IS GRADUALLY LOST, HUMANS ARE IN NEED OF A NEW SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT WOULD SCAFFOLD THE MAJOR EVENTS OF THEIR LIFE. THIS THESIS EXPLORES THE SENSE OF TOGETHERNESS AND SOCIAL COHESION THAT WE FEEL FROM COMMUNAL CEREMONIES, BY DEVISING A SERIES OF ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTIONS THAT FOLLOW TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS STRUCTURES BUT ARE INHERENTLY NON-RELIGIOUS.

THE DANISH SOCIETY IS ONE OF THE MOST SECULAR SOCIETIES IN THE WORLD, BUT THAT DOESN’T SAVE DANES FROM THE PAIN OF DEATH AND SEPARATION. RELIGION IS MOST PREVALENT IN GRIEF AND IN SICKNESS, FEELINGS WHICH DEEPLY ALIENATE US. A NEW SECULAR TEMPLE WOULD COMBAT THAT THROUGH SPACES THAT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PAIN, EMBRACE IT AND HELP US ALLEVIATE THE LONELINESS THROUGH COMMUNITY. IT WILL BE A SPACE WHERE ALL GENERATIONS CAN MEET, LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER AND OFFER SUPPORT IN TIMES OF NEED.

WORKSHOPS IN COOKING, PLAYING, ART-MAKING, READING, COMBINED WITH SUPPORT GROUPS ACT AS ADDITIONAL PURPOSES FOR THE SPACES. IT WILL CENTRE AROUND ART AS AN OUTLET OF EMOTIONS, REDEFINING THE SOCIETAL STANDARDS AROUND MUSEUMS AND PLACES OF WORSHIP.