Architecture Symposium examines links between church design and worship

Dr. Jeanne Halgren Kilde, director of religious studies at the University of Minnesota, lectures on the history of design for American Protestant churches at the Architecture Symposium at California Baptist University on Oct. 19. 

Riverside, Calif. (Oct. 23, 2018) – The essential design elements for corporate worship were on the minds of participants at the Architecture Symposium at California Baptist University on Oct. 19-20.

The symposium, titled “Contemplating Warehouses and Worship,” brought together scholars and practitioners to assess the contemporary state of church design practice. The College of Architecture Visual Arts and Design (CAVAD) at CBU hosted the event.

The conference was about discussing worship and how it can drive church design, said Keelan Kaiser, program director of architecture at CBU. Participants learned about the history of church design, current trends, and future expectations for worship environments, Kaiser added.

“The symposium is a really intense dosage of architectural history, especially as it pertains to the design of churches,” Kaiser said. “I think people will be able to better associate liturgy with design and also the importance that the quality of the environment plays in the quality of worship.”

Dr. Jeanne Halgren Kilde, director of the religious studies at the University of Minnesota, was the opening keynote speaker. She spoke about the history of the American Protestant church and its evolution in building schemes. 

Jacob Gonzalez, an architecture sophomore, appreciated learning about architectural techniques within church design.  

“It’s beneficial to see different perspectives of architecture,” Gonzalez said. “For instance, one session focused on church and community grouping, and it is really good to see how other people use architecture in different ways.”

Ashley Palaiyan, an architecture graduate student, said she enjoyed the interactions with the speakers outside of their lectures.

“The event allowed us to interact with speakers we wouldn’t normally get a chance to,” Palaiyan said.

Eric Anderson, a professor at Farmingdale State College State University of New York, gave a presentation on “Transformation of Catholic Churches in the early 21st Century.” He also remained to attend other conference sessions.

“I want to get a better understanding of the relationship of personal belief to how people perceive the personal expression of religion architecture,” Anderson said.