Kick-Off Workshop "SaWa: Transformations of Sacredness"
CERES Palais, room "Ruhrpott" (4.13)
The transformation of the religious due to migration and pluralisation also effects the role of sacred buildings in the urban environement. A multitude of church builings in recent Germany are affected by closing-downs, conversions and even demolitions. At the same time one can trace an increasing number of mosques and synagogues for the last two decades. For all three religions it holds true that the recent constructions of religious meeting places are accompanied by creative innovations, often unseen by their visitors at the first glance. This leads to the question, which significance recent sacred architecture has in an urban environment. Which meaning is communicated by sacred buildings, how are they sited in urban space, and how do they structure it?
This project is a cooperation between Religious Studies and History of Architecture and explores comparatively the changes of the shaping and symbolic designs of contemporary sacred buildings in Germany. For that purpose, Christian, Muslim and Jewish places of worship, i. e. its new constructions, conversions and demolitions in Germany since 1990 shall be recorded and described in a database. Additionally, selected buildings shall be analysed in more detail in regard to its meaning and positioning in their urban environements.
The kick-off workshop initiates the projects and conduces to the networking of all researchers engaged as well as to discuss the central hypotheses and proceedings. Invited external experts will support and advice the start of the project.
