Thesis Abstract

Thesis Overview

                       INTRODUCTION

1.1 THE BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT

The word “church” is used to describe the religious buildings as well as the religion’s followers as a group. The word comes from a Greek word ‘kuriakos’ meaning ‘house of the Lord’. The church is a building designed for the worship of Christian faithful. It may be small and simple, just enough to hold the congregation, or it may be huge and complicated as in cathedrals (the seat of the bishop, as in the Catholic Church).

The word ‘Catholic’ is derived from the Greek adjective, ‘Katholikos’ meaning ‘universal’. It is the name of the largest Christian dominion, with the head as the pope in Rome.

The proposed Catholic Church is to provide a comfortable and functional building to help accommodate a larger number of the catholic faithful in Emene as a result of the teeming population raving the present parish.

1.2 STATEMENT OF ARCHITECTURAL PROBLEMS

  The architectural problems of the catholic church includes; splitting the congregation into arms, the priest backing some part of the congregation, sight-line problem, distraction and obstruction in the flow of the liturgy.

1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of the project will be to design a parish with all the necessary facilities that will serve the congregation and the clergy well. It will also be one that helps to impact positively in developing the lives of the worshippers spiritually.

Below are the Roman Catholic Church stipulated aims and objectives.

1. Understanding the real meaning of the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church, therefore designing the church to suit their worship pattern.
2. Designing a church to unite the congregation as one.
3. Designing the church to enable the congregation focus on the priest and altar, to enable the priest and the congregation focus on each other, with no one backing the priest.
4. Using important symbols in the church design in other to uplift the congregation’s spiritual life, giving them the zeal and interest to learn more about the Catholic Church traditions even on their own.
5. Creating a design to depict the congregation (their environment, location, economic and social life).
6. Environmental consideration is also necessary.
7. Designing an environment where that will be comfortable and one where the faithful will get all the need in God’s house.
8. Designing masterpiece architecture in the location.
9. Creating an environment conducive for mediation, private prayers and meditation.
10. Designing an environment that will win souls and convert more people.

1.4 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

The design will be centered on the parish center in Emene, Enugu diocese. The parish is a community of the Christian faithful living in the same geographical location. It is usually large enough to hold the congregation, has a resident priest who is responsible for providing them with ministerial service, has a parish house and most importantly, the church building for the worshippers.

The above therefore implies that for a church to function well, it should have the following facilities;

1. The church building – the worship house should contain the following; the sanctuary, the nave, the sacristy / vestry, the chapel, conveniences, baptistery, confessionals, bell towers, religious article store, store room, conference/ meeting rooms (for catechism classes and society meetings) and other relevant spaces.
2. The parish priest residence – where the resident parish priest stay. It should contain the visitor’s lounge, the private lounge, dining room / area, kitchen, laundry, guest bedroom, study / library, consultation room (if need be), garage, parish priest’s bedroom, bishop’s bedroom, assistant parish priest’s bedroom, private chapel and any other important space.
3. The parish / administration office – where counseling and consultation of the priest and catechist take place (on matters ranging from religious, family, communal and even health). It should have the parish priest office, the catechist office, store, parish secretary and parish council office (if need be).

N.B     The above will be shown on the site plan but only the church building will be designed.

    1.5 PROJECT’S MOTIVATION

The motivation of the project came as a result of the teeming population of the catholic faithful in Emene community. The project is to provide another large enough  space of worship for the people.

1.6 PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT

The purpose of the project is not different from the other Catholic Church. Its aim is to provide a space where the catholic faithful can come together to celebrate the holy mass.

It will also be a place for the celebration of the various sacraments; baptism, confirmation, penance, holy order and matrimony.

Other purposes the building will serve include; private prayers, devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, devotion the saints, benediction, societal meetings, choir practice amongst others.

1.7 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Before coming out with a design that will be acceptable and effective, thorough research was done on existing church buildings to see how well they have functioned, their weaknesses and strengths. This made room for improvement of weaknesses by providing solutions to existing problems and improving on the strengths discovered.

They include:

1. CASE STUDIES OF EXISTING PARISHES

I embarked on personal visits for case studies on good existing catholic churches. Notes were taken on the site plan, floor plans, elevations, materials used and adjoining elements. The following parishes where visited;

1. Holy Cross Parish, Aladimma, Owerri.
2. St. Mary’s catholic church, Osina, Imo state.

Other churches studied were;

1. Maria Assumpta cathedral, Owerri.
2. Rose’s Catholic Church, Ihitte, Mbaise.

1. USE OF THE LIBRARY

The library was visited to look into books on the project topic or related materials. Textbooks of architecture on churches were read. Religious articles and materials were also consulted.

1. THE INTERNET

The internet also helped in getting much more information about the history of the church, the catholic church, her practices, liturgical symbols and trend in the design of the church building.

1. INTERVIEW

Interviews where done with some priests and devoted catholic faithful on the project subject and existing church buildings.

1. EXISTING FOUNDATION KNOWLEDGE

As a born and bred catholic, I already have foundation knowledge on the Catholic Church through regular worship and catechism classes. “The history of architecture” learnt in the previous classes had exposed me to development of the church architecture. Books read earlier had also helped.

All this had helped a lot as it would have not been easier with topics I was not familiar with like hospitals or industries.