Abstract:
In an increasingly secular society, the spirit has been demoted as an architectural priority. If the presence of religion in the Western world is diminishing, what remains of the capacity for architecture to accommodate spiritual experiences? This thesis aims to speculate on a potential future for the spiritual architectural typology in a society of growing agnosticism and secularism. While this trend is worldwide, this thesis will specifically address the deficit of inspiring architecture which is able to engage the spirit within New Zealand. As a young nation, New Zealand not only lacks the historical architecture brought about by ancient religiosity, it also falls victim to an economic conservatism exercised by a modest building sector which is not investing in the progression of religious architecture seen in nations with established values in the typology. This deficit provides a significant challenge for this thesis to address, the breadth of which is condensed through the specification of Fiordland as the site for such heavy subject matter. The journey from Lake Te Anau towards Milford Sound through the magnificent Fiordland is a spectacular one undertaken by almost one million tourists and nationals each year. It is this path which will accommodate a selection of four sites for the outcome of this research, the designs on which will aim to conjure specific spiritual experiences. These not only fill a void of such a typology within the nation, but also compensate for an observed inadequacy within the existing architecture of Fiordland. Historically, religion has been the most effective galvaniser of the spirit. By interpolating aspects of religious practice and seeking consensus between the religious and nonreligious spiritual condition, this thesis seeks to investigate the existing overlap between what is natural, architectural, touristic and spiritual, proposing an architecture which harmonises these seemingly miscellaneous elements.