2026-09-19T15:33:57Zhttps://digital.lib.washington.edu/server/oai/request

oai:digital.lib.washington.edu:1773/532092026-02-16T02:50:27Zcom_1773_4888col_1773_19648

Oshima, Ken Tadashi Jain, Meghna 2025-08-01T22:09:17Z 2025-08-01T22:09:17Z 2025-08-01 2025 Jain_washington_0250O_28427.pdf https://hdl.handle.net/1773/53209 Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2025 Experiencing the Sacred considers how a sense of sacredness in architecture comes from lived, embodied experience, rather than the presence of religious symbols or functions. Utilizing phenomenological thinkers such as Merleau-Ponty, Bachelard, Pallasmaa, and Norberg-Schulz, this thesis investigates how spatial atmosphere, sensory perception, material quality, and movement all contribute to experiences of the sacred.The thesis compares three notable projects – the Lotus Temple in New Delhi, the Chapel of St. Ignatius in Seattle, and the Water Temple in Awaji. In this examination, it draws attention the ways in which architecture can activate an experience of contemplation, stillness, and transcendence via sensory engagement, and elemental forces. Central themes include light and shadow, the notion of ritual movement, spatial thresholds, and the evolving relationship between interior spaces and the natural world. Ultimately, this thesis argues that sacredness is not restricted to religious buildings, and that sacredness can be awakened in any given architecture with the potential for deep attention, presence, and emotional connection. application/pdf en_US CC BY Elemental Dialogue Perception Phenomenology Sacred Architecture Sentient Space Architecture World history Architecture EXPERIENCING THE SACRED: A phenomenological exploration of architecture as sentient space Thesis Open Access open.access