Kategoria BISAC: Architecture >> Buildings - Religious

Upon entering a Japanese Buddhist temple in Hawai'i, most people--whether first-time visitors or lifelong members--are overwhelmed by the elaborate and complex display of golden ornaments, intricately carved altar tables and incense burners, and images of venerable masters and bodhisattvas. These objects, as well as the architectural elements of the temple itself, have meanings that are often hidden in ancient symbolisms. This book, written by two local authorities on Japanese art and religion, provides a thorough yet accessible overview of Buddhism in Hawai'i followed by a...

Built around three sacred springs, the Jin Shrines complex (Jinci), near Taiyuan in Shanxi province, contains a wealth of ancient art and architecture dating back to the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127). The complex's 1,500-year-long textual record allows us to compare physical and written evidence to understand how the built environment was manipulated to communicate ideas about divinity, identity, and status. Jinci's significance varied over time according to both its patrons' needs and changes in the political and physical landscape. The impact of these changes can be read in the...

The Hermit's Hut offers an original insight into the profound relationship between architecture and asceticism. Although architecture continually responds to ascetic compulsions, as in its frequent encounter with the question of excess and less, it is typically considered separate from asceticism. In contrast, this innovative book explores the rich and mutual ways in which asceticism and architecture are played out in each other's practices. The question of asceticism is also considered--as neither a religious discourse nor a specific cultural tradition but as a perennial issue in the...

With meticulous research and carefully chosen illustrations, Phoebe Stanton here explores the influence of the English Gothic revival on American church architecture in the mid-nineteenth century, arguing that this fundamentally conservative movement provided a foundation for a new aesthetic. Examining the writings of the movement's leading proponents as well as a variety of important buildings, Stanton offers a comprehensive survey of the architectural principles and models that became most influential in America. She also confirms the importance of the Cambridge Camden Society, which...

Buildings and landscapesare as much a part of the Christian church as its creeds reflecting the faith and proclaiming God. The architecture of the church sstructures and the curating of its groundsare unique windows into the church s history and the shape of its theological commitments.Birthed in the iconoclastic spirit of the Reformation, the scapes of Protestant churcheshave experienced massive shifts in design and scope. From humble beginnings small buildings and cemeteries churches today can occupy thousands of square feet across hundreds of acres. The modern megachurch, with...