Note: you can use your left and right arrow keys to navigate this slideshow. There were more than 100 submissions to this year’s awards program; remarkably many of them from abroad. As you will see in the pages that follow, a substantial number of the winners are from outside the US—a total of 9 winning […]

Transforming religious architecture in an age of climate emergency. It has become common to use words such as “crisis” and “catastrophe” in descriptions about the state of the climate. As the impact of climate change has become increasingly visible, it’s easy to see why. This past June was the hottest ever on record, followed by […]

Saint Benedict Parish was established in 2012 to serve the growing community of Milton, Ontario, Canada. Guided by the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, and formed under the charism of Saint Benedict, the parish building committee engaged our firm, Larkin Architect Limited, in late 2015 to begin the visioning process for a new church […]

A cemetery in England presents a notable example of how a faith community can take action in response to environmental concerns, underline the theology of Earth stewardship, and seek inspiration in history and religious traditions. The Bushey Cemetery expansion, designed by Waugh Thistleton Architects of London, was commissioned by United Synagogues and is situated in […]

The Cambridge Central Mosque in earth harmony As a “place of prostration,” the term mosque originates from the Arabic word masjid to denote a religious space or a place of worship for Muslims. The mosque in a non-Muslim context is a symbol, a point of reference that provides a framework under which people of a […]

St. Patrick’s in New York adopts state-of-the-art geothermal efficiency while preserving history. Light is an essential religious metaphor and also an elemental ally in architecture, revealing the intricacies of color, space, and form. An extensive renovation of New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral, completed in 2017 (and this year celebrated with national honors from the American […]

In 1962 Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring. It was one of the first scientific publications to raise awareness about the harm being done to the environment by the use of synthetic pesticides. Her research helped spark the modern environmental movement. Because of the ongoing contributions of the scientific community we know that climate change is […]

Integrating art, ornament, and architecture to serve evolving congregations. As designers for various works including Park Avenue Synagogue in New York, New York, MBB Architects has entered into a fruitful collaboration with Amy Reichert Architecture + Design—a likeminded group focused on Judaic art and design. Our shared goal has been to explore the seamless integration […]

How a contemplative design process might help us to create spaces of connectivity. Every time I think about my childhood in Kolkata, India, the image that first comes to mind is that of a grand, ornate, white marble temple – the Birla Mandir – that sits at the gateway of the street on which I […]

Over time, the purpose and the people that worship facilities were built for evolves, and as a response so too must the facilities. Therefore, ministry leaders should create a facilities master plan process every five to ten years in parallel with their organization’s vision and mission to ensure alignment between the facility and the goals […]