Changing Habits: a think tank for Catholic women religious

Abstract

Part think tank, part headquarters, part social, and part political, this thesis exemplifies the evolving position of the church in today's fluctuating society. Many religious and lay people alike are not only open to accepting change within Catholicism, but also crave a more open-minded and accepting shift in Church teachings. Although this desire for tolerance has been voiced, the main body of the papacy is stubbornly holding onto a tradition that, in many ways, does not fit the contemporary views of society. This thesis is an architectural response to this change. It studies how shifting views of women religious (nuns and sisters) and Catholics can be integrated into the rich existing history of the Catholic church creating a more tolerant place for social and spiritual exchange.