Project 3 | Portfolio

Light

Form and Order

This endeavor aims to conceive a proposed non-denominational chapel situated at Farmingdale State College's campus. The College envisions this chapel as a deeply spiritual sanctuary where individuals of all faiths can come together for worship and contemplation on life's occurrences.

To bring this vision to life, the project involves employing innovative approaches to manage the ingress of light into the space, addressing the challenge of reconciling the built environment with the natural surroundings.

To create this building I began by examining the existing campus site's patterns and studying the seasonal variations in light angles. Utilizing this analysis, I guided the selection of the site and influenced the orientation and design of the chapels.

Light Background Research

I researched the Church of San Andrea Quinarle. Commissioned by Cardinal Camillo Pamphilj, with the approval of Pope Alexander VII Chigi, the church of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and finished in 1670.

Sections

The floor of the church, elliptical, is organized on the short axis thereof, in contrast to what is usual. The interior space consists of a large central area, bounded by the wall with Corinthian pilasters and entablature, and a series of chapels around it.

Interior Views

The design of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale Church features a combination of straight lines and tension-induced curves, with the floor taking on an elliptical shape. The church entrance is situated along the short axis of the floor, directly facing the high altar. Inside, there is a spacious central area enclosed by a wall adorned with Corinthian pilasters and an entablature.

Use of Light

The openings around the top of the church allowed light to come in through the center which shines on Saint Andrew giving the statue a physical presentation of how the saint ascended to heaven and artistically it defines the sanctity behind the sculpture.

Sant-Andrea-al-Quirinale-_Bernini_Rome_WikiArquitectura_01-453x680.webp

Hierarchy

Main Sanctuary
Meditation Chapel
Memorial Chapel
Lobby
Secular Spaces

Sorting of Spaces

Sacred

Main Sanctuary
Meditation Chapel
Memorial Chapel
Lobby

Secular

Offices
Library
Conference Room
Storage
Restrooms
Closets

Contextual Analysis

Sun Diagrams

Preliminary Design

2D Light Sections

Site Plan and Sorting

Inspiration from Historical Lighting Models

The opening at the top of the main chapel is the inspiration of the reasearch i did from San Adrea al Quinarle. The small amount of light coming in through the circle allowed for a more defined religous setting.

Le Corbusier's Convent La Tourette impacted the design of the light cannon. His use of varying window sizes/shapes in the Notre Dame du Haut chapel also influenced different shaped apertures.