the interfaith forum on religion, art and architecture


The first thing that stands out about this year’s award winners is the number of projects cited in the categories of restoration and renovation. Typically, only a handful of such projects has been awarded. For example, between 2005 and 2011, the average number of restoration/restoration projects awarded was just shy of three. This year, out of a total of 23 projects submitted...



A cemetery does not just contain the remains of the dead. It also aids the memory of those who remain alive; it is a kind of physical mnemonic device that helps us remember those who have passed away, with names and dates carved in headstones or on columbaria walls to trigger our thoughts about those buried there. As time passes and those who knew the deceased also pass away, … [Read More...]

“God's House” and “The House of the Lord” are such commonplace terms for religious buildings that they barely register their implications of intimacy and domes- ticity. Many people raised in mainline religions–Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, or even Islamic–have difficulty likening a place of worship to a home. Our religious buildings are formal, for the most part. One is expected to dress and act differently there than one would at home. God's House can be more … [Read More...]

Several months ago Michael J. Crosbie wrote an editorial in these pages (Vol. 45, No. 1, p. 4) describing his thoughts on a panel discussion that Karla Britton and I had organized, titled “Space, the Sacred and the Imagination.” Crosbie noted the fact that among the panelists several seemed “...uncomfortable with the very word sacred, freighted as it is with requirements of belief....” He also accurately noted that instead of a discussion of the sacred per se, the … [Read More...]
New York’s magnificent historic churches and synagogues will participate in the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s third annual Sacred Sites Open House Weekend, May 18 and 19, 2013, when they will open their doors to visitors to explore their extraordinary art and architecture. Taking part will be more than 100 … [Read More...]
Congregations, clergy, and others who require religious buildings and art now operate in a world where there are many different ways to realize a project. What are these techniques to realizing the dream, and the advantages and disadvantages of each? How do project teams work together, and how are congregations and clergy involved? What are the roles of consultants such as construction managers, engineers, sound experts, lighting designers, liturgical designers? An upcoming issue of Faith & Form will explore the opportunities and challenges of realizing art and architecture that serves the congregation, and working with faith communities to achieve their goals. Faith & Form is looking for creative, effective examples of designers, architects, artists, clergy, congregations, and consultants working together to make the dream a reality. Send your projects, case studies, and ideas to: faithandform@comcast.net … [Read More...]
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