Thin Place Design: Architecture of the Numinous 1032408286, 9781032408286

Table of contents :
Cover
Half Title
Endorsements
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
About the Author
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
1. Thin Places: Definitions, Origins and Characteristics
Thin Places
Definitions
Origins of Thin Places
Thin Places in Ireland
Contemporary Theories
Thin Place Characteristics
The Veil
Charged Places
“The Wholly Other”
Summary
Notes
2. Numinous Experiences: Responses of Awe and Serene Emotions
Emotional Responses to Thin Places
Human Emotions
Emotion Research
Numinous Experiences
Awe Emotions
Serene Emotions
Religious and Spiritual Experiences
Awe and Psychedelic Wellness
Need for Accommodation
Neuroscience of Emotions
Summary
Notes
3. Place: Theory, Principles, Patterns and Analyses
Place Theory, Principles, Patterns and Analysis
The First Place
Place Archetypes
Ectypal Place Patterns
Thin Place Pattern Analysis
Thin Place Spatial Sequence
Thin Place Benefits
Summary
Notes
4. Architecture: Thin Places in Architecture and Urban Settings
Thin Places in Architecture and Urban Settings
Architecture of the Numinous
Case Study: The Piazza Del Campo in Siena, Italy
Case Study: Civitella Val Di Chiana, Italy
Case Study: Skellig Michael Island, Ireland
Case Study: The Wadi Bani Oasis
Case Study: Chapels of Ronchamp and Rothko
Case Study: Twilight Epiphany Skyspace
Case Study: Starhouse, Boulder, Colorado
Case Study: Two Glass Chapels, Mexico
Summary of Architectural Pattern Effectiveness
Notes
5. Everyday: Thin Place Experiences
Everyday Thin Place Experiences
Case Study: The Steeple Dingle, Ireland
Case Study: Thin Place Walled-In Garden
Case Study: Holy Wells
Case Study: Land Art and Labyrinths
Case Study: Intimate Scale Thin Places
Summary of Small Scale Pattern Effectiveness
Notes
6. Conclusion: Concluding Thoughts
Concluding Thoughts
Notes
Glossary of Related Terms
Suggested Reading
Index

Citation preview

Thin Place Design

What makes the places we inhabit extraordinary? Why are some urban spaces more vital and restorative? Wonderful landscapes, inspiring works of architecture and urban design, and the numinous experiences that accompany them have been an integral dimension of our culture. Up-lifting spaces, dramatic use of natural light, harmonic proportional geometry, magical landscapes, historic sites and vital city centers create special, even sacred moments in architecture and planning. This quality of experience is often seen as an aesthetic purpose intended to inspire, ennoble, ensoul and spiritually renew. Architecture and urban spaces, functioning in this way, are considered to be thin places.

“So much of what we build is bland and soulless. We need spaces that can move us out of the mundane. How do we describe the boundary between the common place and the magical, the secular and the sacred? In Dr. Phillip Tabb’s Thin Place Design, we see that there are portals that can set the stage for the meditative and to the experience of profound awe. Sometimes these are natural settings, but they can also be deliberately designed. In this book we get an understanding of what makes these special places work, how to analyze their effectiveness, and how to go about creating them. We see examples in Thin Place Design that are both grand and intimate, and a pathway to creating more fulling places.” William Browning, Managing Partner, Terrapin Bright Green “In the midst of an immanence dominant cultural landscape, architect Phillip Tabb invites us to be enticed by thin places. Experiences that startle us from the prevalence of the repetition into Otto’s numinous sense of the wholly other. An awefullness filled with the terror is an unconditional embrace of the sound of silence. Revelatory or charged experiences capable of challenging our quotidian numbness with the Heideggerian question of being. Drawing upon social science disciplines that seek to define the character of the numinous, he finds a common denominator in purposeful integrity and alluring gracefulness. Thin Place Design invites us to be open to a sense of the numinous not only in dwellings of place-making enchantment, but in enchanted dwelling places where ontic meets ontology.” Richard Nourse, D. Min., L.M.F.T. “Dr. Phil Tabb has such a beautiful way of inviting us into the mysterious and the sublime. He allows the readers to get lost in the places and spaces that not only touch our senses but tug at our hearts. Often, I have wondered why I am so drawn to certain locations I have traveled to in my lifetime. Was it the sheer beauty of the space or was there something deeper that my body was tuning into? Dr. Tabb shares the history of thin places and why we feel connections to them. He invites us to slow down and to recognize the feeling we receive from spaces we find ourselves in. We all have an inner knowing and Dr. Tabb shares so many powerful examples from around the world of how and why they are considered spaces of reverence. Through Dr. Tabb’s work, we learn if when we look hard at something and treat it with gravity and respect, we see beauty and find ways to be kinder to ourselves and our surroundings.” Jennifer Walsh, Founder and Creative Director, AIKR Lab & Institute

Thin Place Design Architecture of the Numinous Phillip James Tabb

Designed cover image: Phillip Tabb, Rachel Garceau and Judy Walker First published 2024 by Routledge 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158 and by Routledge 4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2024 Phillip James Tabb The right of Phillip James Tabb to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Tabb, Phillip, author. Title: Thin place design : architecture of the numinous / Phillip James Tabb. Description: New York, New York : Routledge, 2024. | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Identifiers: LCCN 2023003893 (print) | LCCN 2023003894 (ebook) | ISBN 9781032408286 (hardback) | ISBN 9781032408293 (paperback) | ISBN 9781003354888 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Architecture--Psychological aspects. | Spirituality in architecture. Classification: LCC NA2540 .T33 2024 (print) | LCC NA2540 (ebook) | DDC 720.1--dc23/eng/20230324 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023003893 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023003894 ISBN: 9781032408286 (hbk) ISBN: 9781032408293 (pbk) ISBN: 9781003354888 (ebk) DOI: 10.4324/9781003354888 Typeset in Univers by KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd.

This work is dedicated to my sister and brother-in-law Janice and Richard Nourse and my friend Robert Armon

Contents

List of Figures List of Tables About the Author Foreword Preface Acknowledgments 1

Thin Places: Definitions, Origins and Characteristics

ix xii xiii xiv xvii xxiv 1

Thin Places 1 Definitions 2 Origins of Thin Places 5 Thin Places in Ireland 8 Contemporary Theories 10 Thin Place Characteristics 14 The Veil 15 Charged Places 17 “The Wholly Other” 20 Summary 21 Notes 21 2

Numinous Experiences: Responses of Awe and Serene Emotions

25

Emotional Responses to Thin Places 25 Human Emotions 26 Emotion Research 28 Numinous Experiences 31 Awe Emotions 32 Serene Emotions 34 Religious and Spiritual Experiences 38 Awe and Psychedelic Wellness 44 Need for Accommodation 45 Neuroscience of Emotions 47 Summary 50 Notes 52

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◼ CONTENTS 3

Place: Theory, Principles, Patterns and Analyses

57

Place Theory, Principles, Patterns and Analysis 57 The First Place 57 Place Archetypes 58 Ectypal Place Patterns 63 Thin Place Pattern Analysis 75 Thin Place Spatial Sequence 80 Thin Place Benefits 83 Summary 87 Notes 88 4

Architecture: Thin Places in Architecture and Urban Settings

91

Thin Places in Architecture and Urban Settings 91 Architecture of the Numinous 91 Case Study: The Piazza Del Campo in Siena, Italy 95 Case Study: Civitella Val Di Chiana, Italy 101 Case Study: Skellig Michael Island, Ireland 108 Case Study: The Wadi Bani Oasis 114 Case Study: Chapels of Ronchamp and Rothko 119 Case Study: Twilight Epiphany Skyspace 124 Case Study: Starhouse, Boulder, Colorado 130 Case Study: Two Glass Chapels, Mexico 137 Summary of Architectural Pattern Effectiveness 143 Notes 145 5

Everyday: Thin Place Experiences

148

Everyday Thin Place Experiences 148 Case Study: The Steeple Dingle, Ireland 152 Case Study: Thin Place Walled-In Garden 159 Case Study: Holy Wells 165 Case Study: Land Art and Labyrinths 171 Case Study: Intimate Scale Thin Places 179 Summary of Small Scale Pattern Effectiveness 184 Notes 187 6

Conclusion: Concluding Thoughts

189

Concluding Thoughts 189 Notes 199 Glossary of Related Terms Suggested Reading Index

201 205 207

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List of Figures

0.1 Gallarus Oratory: (a) inside window, (b) facing the entrance westward, (c) equal-armed crossxix 0.2 Skellig Michael: (a) landing base, (b) South Stone steps, (c) the monastery terrace and beehive hutsxx 0.3 Parting moments in Ireland: (a) Dingle sunset, (b) Skellig Michael Earthxxi 1.1 Thin place clearing in the woods2 1.2 Tetractys and veil4 1.3 Thin place diagrammatic modes 5 1.4 Thin places: (a) Stonehenge sunrise, (b) the annunciation by Fra Angelico 7 1.5 Irish thin places: (a) Dunquin Pier, (b) Glendalough Monastic Settlement, (c) Barra Oratory, (d) Newgrange Monument 9 1.6 Charged place characteristics: (a) initial and progressed experiences, (b) the Matterhorn in Switzerland, (c) Dancing House, Prague 18 1.7 White light as emanating from “the other”19 2.1 Human emotion wheel27 2.2 Vast and intimate emotion clusters30 2.3 Seaside sunset and intimate gathering at the beach31 2.4 Calm waters along a pond’s edge36 2.5 Thin place threshold “embrace: release” 37 2.6 Thin place examples: (a) The New Forest, United Kingdom, (b) Yellowstone Geyser, (c) Church of Ayios Konstantinos, Greece, (d) Piazza San Marco, Venice 39 2.7 (a) St. Gabriel Passionist Parish Church, Toronto, Canada, (b) Chartres Cathedral Southeast View, (c) Chartres Interior Labyrinth41 2.8 Two Peter Zumthor buildings: (a) Bruder-Klaus Field Chapel, Germany, (b) Therme Vals Spa, Switzerland 43 2.9 Images of the default-mode network in the brain 48 2.10 Differing thin places: (a) edge thin places, (b) whole thin places 51 3.1 Number archetypes 58 3.2 Archetypal places: (a) an island, (b) an oasis, (c) a mountain top, (d) a cave 59

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◼  LIST OF FIGURES

3.3 Archetypal symbols: (a) tree of life, (b) Celtic Trinity knot, (c) stone symbol 60 3.4 Ectypal patterns: (a) corbeled entrance, (b) a patterned floor, (c) a historic wall, (d) a domed ceiling 65 3.5 The 20 thin place patterns diagrams66 3.6 Mayday celebration 75 3.7 Pattern effects: (a) combinatory effect of multiple patterns, (b) exaggerated pattern effects with Antinori Winery, Italy 78 3.8 Thin place experiential and spatial processional diagram 81 3.9 Vidar Clinic recovery rooms (a) Awe color scheme, (b) serenity color scheme 85 3.10 Machu Picchu, Peru86 3.11 Machu Picchu, Peru thin place analysis87 4.1 Thin places in architecture: (a) Thorncrown Chapel, (b) MIT Chapel, Cambridge, (c) Church on the Water, Japan, (d) Brion Tomb, Treviso, Italy, (e) Vietnam War Memorial, Washington, DC, (f) Sunset Santorini, Greece, (g) Metropol Parasol, Spain, (h) Western Wall Jerusalem, Israel 92 4.2 Thin places architecture in New York City: (a) the Oculus Exterior, (b) the Oculus Interior, (c) One World Trade Center, (d) 9/11 Memorial Pool and Fountain  93 4.3 Piazza di Campo panorama95 4.4 Thin place patterns analysis plan 96 4.5 Siena Campo: (a) Palio di Siena, (b) intimate setting in the Campo center 97 4.6 Thin place patterns: (a) passage, (b) tower, (c) Leocorno (unicorn) Fountain located East of the Campo 98 4.7 Civitella Val di Chiana: (a) aerial drawing, (b) photograph from the northeast 102 4.8 Civitella, Italy: (a) Castello remains, (b) Piazza Don Alcide Lazzeri well 103 4.9 Civitella thin place site plan 104 4.10 Civitella Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini luncheon: (a) night view of terrace, (b) faculty luncheon 105 4.11 Skellig Michael Island, Ireland 108 4.12 Skellig Michael Island: (a) Christ’s Saddle, (b) sixth century beehive huts 109 4.13 Skellig Michael Island plan analysis 111 4.14 Skellig Michael: (a) passage from the landing to the monastery, (b) rock outcrop reaching upward 112 4.15 Oasis thin places: (a) Wadi Bani Oasis, (b) bridge and pavilions 115 4.16 Plan analyses of the Wadi Bani Oasis 115 4.17 The Wadi Bani Oasis: (a) water feeding oasis, (b) small dam containing water 118 4.18 Differing thin place experiences: (a) Rothko and Ronchamp floor plans, (b) Rothko exterior, (c) Ronchamp chapel exterior South Façade, (d) Rothko interior, (e) Ronchamp interior 121

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LIST OF FIGURES  ◼

4.19 Artwork expressions: (a) Mark Rothko painting, (b) Le Corbusier front door panel, (c) Virgo constellation, (d) Corvus window at Ronchamp 4.20 The Twilight Epiphany Skyspace 4.21 The Twilight Epiphany Skyspace: (a) canopy and oculus, (b) oculus 4.22 The StarHouse exterior view from the southwest 4.23 The StarHouse: (a) N-S cross section, (b) West elevation 4.24 The StarHouse geometry, plan and place patterns 4.25 The StarHouse interior: (a) main floor, (b) zodiac starmap projection 4.26 Two chapels: (a) La Estancia wedding gardens and glass chapel, (b) Ecumenical Chapel 4.27 La Estancia wedding Chapel: (a) night view, (b) interior view, the ecumenical chapel, (c) garden view, (d) interior view 5.1 Small thin places in everyday life: (a) intimate window seat, (b) park bench 5.2 Small thin places in everyday life: (a) cappuccino in Florence, Italy, (b) picnic lunch 5.3 The Steeple Dingle, Ireland  5.4 The Steeples Dingle interiors: (a) entry door, (b) passage and entry, (c) living area, (d) steel structure 5.5 The Steeple Dingle: (a) floor plan place analysis, (b) owner-generated sketch-up model 5.6 Steeple Dingle at the edge of Ireland 5.7 Walled-in garden: (a) garden in early spring, (b) garden bench 5.8 Walled-in garden plan and thin place characteristics 5.9 Walled-in garden: (a) garden at dusk, (b) center pool 5.10 Natural springs: (a) Beryl Springs, Wyoming, (b) Pamukkale Pools, Turkey 5.11 Holy wells: (a) the Chalice well, (b) Vesica Pisces Pools Glastonbury Tor, England 5.12 Land art: (a) the Serpent Mound, Adams County, Ohio, (b) Burning Man, Nevada 5.13 Land art in Serenbe, Georgia: (a) Serenity for Shango, (b) Asante Stool 5.14 Serenity for Shango Plan analysis 5.15 Labyrinths: (a) walking the labyrinth in Toronto, Canada, (b) Serenbe labyrinth 5.16 Small scale thin places: (a) child blowing out candles, (b) moonlight walk 6.1 (a) Northern Lights, (b) Salk Institute Sunset

122 126 129 131 132 133 136 138 139 150 151 153 154 157 159 161 162 163 167 168 173 174 175 178 181 197

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List of Tables



3.1 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 6.1

Thin Place Pattern Analysis Siena Campo Pattern Analysis Civitella Pattern Analysis Skellig Michael Pattern Analysis Wadi Bani Oases Pattern Analysis Chapels’ Pattern Comparison Skyspace Pattern Analysis Starhouse Pattern Analysis Glass Chapels’ Pattern Analysis Magnitude of Thin Place Patterns The Steeple Pattern Analysis Walled-In Garden Pattern Analysis Glastonbury Well Patterns Serenbe Patterns’ Analysis Small Patterns’ Analyses Small Scale Pattern Summary Summary of Case Studies

76 99 106 109 117 123 127 134 140 142 156 164 171 179 182 184 192

xii  ◻

About the Author

Phillip James Tabb is Emeritus Professor of Architecture at Texas A&M University and was the Liz and Nelson Mitchell Professor of Residential Design. He served as Head of the Department from 2001 to 2005 and was Director of the School of Architecture and Construction Management at Washington State University from 1998 to 2001. He completed a PhD dissertation on The Solar Village Archetype: A Study of English Village Form Applicable to Energy Integrated Planning Principles for Satellite Settlements in Temperate Climates in 1990. Among his publication is Solar Energy Planning published by McGraw-Hill in 1984, co-authored The Greening of Architecture: A Critical History and Survey of Contemporary Sustainable Architecture and Urban Design published by Ashgate in 2014, coedited Architecture, Culture and Spirituality also published by Ashgate in 2015. He was author of Serene Urbanism: A Biophilic Theory and Practice of Sustainable Placemaking in 2017, Elemental Architecture: Temperaments of Sustainability in 2019, and Biophilic Urbanism: Designing Resilient Communities for the Future in 2021 all published by Routledge. Since 2001, Tabb is the master plan architect for Serenbe Community – an award-winning sustainable and biophilic community being realized near Atlanta, Georgia, and he was the architect for the StarHouse in Boulder, Colorado. He received his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Cincinnati, Master of Architecture from the University of Colorado, and PhD in the Energy and Environment Programme from the Architectural Association in London. Dr. Tabb taught studio design, sustainable architecture, the theory of placemaking and study abroad in Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy. He is a practicing urban designer and licensed architect, and an emeritus member of the American Institute of Architects holding a NCARB Certificate.

xiii  ◻

Foreword

It was on Scotland’s Isle of Skye where I first felt that I was in a “thin place.” I knew intellectually that a thin place in the Celtic tradition was where the boundary between heaven and earth seemed to dissolve but experiencing this bodily was something quite different. My usual sense of scale was befuddled by mountains, bare of trees, rising impossibly tall from the sea. The weather was a gray mist that seemed halfway between a physical aspect of the land itself and a special aspect of the air. This place and my senses were beginning to intermingle. I began to feel that I too was becoming a “thinner place” and able to experience the earth in a more intimate way. I have never forgotten this lesson of porosity given to me in Skye. It was at the Reflection Garden in the Bloedel Reserve on Washington’s Bainbridge Island that convinced me that thin places could be made or could at least be co-made. The Bloedel Reserve contains a series of linked gardens commissioned by Prentice and Mildred Bloedel from 1988–2010 on their estate, now open to the public. The Bloedels worked with several designers to design or redesign the land they lived on. The forested, coastal setting is spectacular but in the case of the gardens, it is not the focus on the “scenery” that makes the gardens so potent, it is the way the designers collaborated with the land over time. The Reflection Garden is a deceptively simple space – a clearing in the forest surrounded by a hedge with a long rectangular pool in the center. It was landscape architect Richard Haag who added the hedge – a critical decision that shifted the garden into the thin place it has become. The clipped hemlock hedge wall of about ten feet provides an intermediary experience between human scale and order and the wild forest behind. The ground plane is a luminous green lawn surrounding a dark groundwater pool made possible by the high-water table. A single bench provides the vantage point. I had seen many images of the Reflection Garden, and none captured the awe, the wonder, of being there. I can still easily go there in memory; the garden is so simple and so powerful that it sits like a jewel within me. I have known Phillip Tabb for a long time and admire his ongoing investigations into sacred and transcendent space. In this new book, Thin Place Design: Architecture of the Numinous, he offers us ways to begin to see, describe and approach the design of numinous space. With this book’s focus on thin places,

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FOREWORD  ◼

his work goes even deeper into relationships of reciprocity between place (found, made), human experience and the unseen cosmic dimension. As one intriguing example of this relationship, Tabb discusses John Steele’s “concept of ‘psychic amphibians’ where a numinous experience is remembered with both cognitive and emotional insights and are recalled and applied to everyday life.”1 This offers another way of describing my experience at the Reflection Garden and furthers my insights into how I draw upon this space in my own teaching and designing. The book is rich and dense in a potent way, with six chapters that build Tabb’s theory of thin place design at architectural, landscape and planning scales. Each chapter is filled with diagrams and photographs giving readers multiple avenues into the discussion. In Chapter 1, definitions, histories and spatial qualities of selected thin places, especially ones of Celtic origins, lay the groundwork. Chapter 2 focuses on numinous experiences and theories of emotion, especially awe and serenity, the two emotions most often associated with thin places. Tabb offers an overview of important thinking and research in this area, from Rudolf Otto’s work on the numinous as the “wholly Other,” to current scientific research showing that when humans experience awe, “there are lower stress and inflammation levels, and a higher sense of meaning and connection.”2 Place theory, pattern and analyses are the focus of Chapter 3. Here Tabb opens with a discussion of thin place archetypes such as islands, caves and forests. He builds a theory of five thin place principles that when combined with spatial ideas create “ectypal place patterns”. Tabb further develops his thinking through his 20 “thin place pattern diagrams” – that again offer a new way to see, think about, and design space. Tabb rightfully notes that his contributions are not a formula: “For designers using the place patterns with the intentions of creating thin places is not a guaranteed process.”3 Chapter 4 highlights case studies of (primarily Western) architecture and urban settings that he and often other designers and researchers have characterized as “thin,” including contemporary projects such as the Rothko Chapel or the Twilight Epiphany Skyspace by James Turrell. Tabb also includes in his case studies wellknown historic works such as the Campo in Siena alongside less well-known places such as Civitella Val di Chiana, a village compound in Italy. He applies his process of pattern analysis in each case study offering a useful demonstration of his theory. Chapter 5 also includes case studies that Tabb calls “everyday thin places,” highlighting that small-scale domestic interior places such as a special chair, table or home altar can be thin places. The section contains case studies that might be grouped as Landscape Thin Places, such as gardens, holy wells, land art and labyrinths, are discussed. For a thin place to occur, a “source” is believed to be key to the connection between place and human. As source emanation flows into and through both human and place – the veil is lifted. The thin place can facilitate a connection to source, and humans, especially humans who want to design a thin place, can develop our own porosity to place to assist us. It is a reciprocal relationship where then we may be able to manifest it for others.

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◼ FOREWORD Thin Place Design: Architecture of the Numinous builds knowledge of numinous space and emotion theory and offers an applied theoretical approach to assist design. Nested layers of information in this book will be useful and inspiring to designers, students and researchers in different ways at different stages of their work. Some will use it as a workbook, analyzing a built work or work in progress to find or amplify an aspect of an unseen dimension. I have had many new helpful insights for this work emerge while reading and re-reading this book. That is the beauty of the book: it teaches and inspires on many levels. Rebecca Krinke University of Minnesota

xvi  ◻

Preface

I have for some time been interested in thin places yet found the language to explain and express them as being quite difficult because of their “other worldly” nature or their extremely personal interpretations. Several examples of my own thin place experiences occurred when I first visited the Istanbul Basilica Cistern in 2005. Descending down into the cistern on a hot summer’s day, I found the large underground space to be cool, calm and magical. I felt transported to another world. Another thin place experience occurred around the top of the King’s Tower at Chartres Cathedral in 2000, where I spent an hour with a local woman who worked in the Chartres Archive. We spent about 15 minutes on each side of the four-sided tower and had four distinct conversations in which time stood still. As a boy, I used to flyfish along the Buffalo River in Island Park, Idaho. I would spend hours walking slowly down the center of the river becoming so attuned to the place, and where a sense of self dissolved and I experienced a sensory unity with the nature around me. My time living in English villages and Italian hill towns broadened my sense of sacred places from architecture to the settlement scale. And finally, when designing my own house, I was wondering about the ways in which thin place ideas might be applicable to everyday living. My studies in the 1980s with Dr. Keith Critchlow and Robert Lawlor exposed me to concepts of sacred geometry and universal principles, and my connections to the Dallas Institute for Humanities and Culture and Dr. Gail Thomas led me to an interest in the mythic connections to cities. It was my communications with Michael Brill in 1986 that corroborated my findings about English villages and placemaking in general, but more specifically that the very same characteristics occurring in these villages appeared to be similar to the sacred or what he called, “charged places.” It showed that certain physical patterns readily occur in all thin places regardless of scale. It was the design for the StarHouse located outside of Boulder, Colorado, in 1992 that I was able to bring together concepts of sacred geometry, placemaking and cosmology. This experience revealed the importance of a project’s intentions, embodied design concepts and the process of making integrating a golden thread from source to consecration. Later in 2014 while co-editing Architecture, Culture, and Spirituality, Professor Rebecca Krinke introduced me to the concept of thin places in her chapter “Space, Object, and Encounter.” These re-occurring patterns of place have informed my work since then. I also found “thin places” to be equally interesting and wondered whether or not their existence within our physical world had measurable ectypal patterns that rendered them accessible, describable and easily applicable to architecture and urban design. The positive outcomes of a thin

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◼ PREFACE place follow the experiential outcome areas of health and wellness, placemaking, biophilia and the experience of the numinous. The research into thin places led me to the study of human emotions, and spiritual experiences in particular, Rudolf Otto’s concept of the numinous, the scientific investigations of awe emotions and the awe experience scale developed by the Dr. Dacher Keltner and Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and serene research and the serenity scale developed by Dr. Kay Roberts and her colleagues. This material combined with Michael Brill’s groundbreaking work on charged places formed the basis of place designs intended to elicit numinous experiences. Since the title includes “design,” the focus of this work is on the concepts, prime elicitors and patterns that serve as guidelines for thin places at the varying planning, architectural and landscape scales. My doctoral work at the Architectural Association in London in the late 1980s led me to see that many villages that evolved over thousands of years contained similar patterns of design that are common in thin places. And my design work at Serenbe Community in Georgia, 2001–present, confirmed the presence of “architecture of the numinous.” For my own personal journey into a better understanding of thin places, I visited Ireland in September of 2022 in order to experience firsthand the thin places that have reportedly existed there, and in some cases, for millennium. For several months before my trip, I solicited from neighbors, friends and colleagues around the world recommendations of thin places to visit in Ireland. I received dozens of places to experience, formulated my week-long itinerary, and ended up traveling around a large circle in the Republic of Ireland including Dublin, Newgrange, Cork, Dingle, Skellig Islands, Limerick, the Hill of Uisneach, St. Patrick’s Holy Well, and many PUBs and other thin places along the way. In and around Dingle I went on tour of thin places including several Beehive Hillforts, the Dunbeg Fort, Gallarus Oratory, Cill Mhaoilcheadair, the Blasket Centre, Dunquin Pier, the Holy Stone and Branden Head. I experienced each of these sites, photographed them, identified the physical patterns and characteristics each possessed, and brought a daybook for documenting my emotional responses to them. It was the Gallarus Oratory, an Early Christian church on the Dingle Peninsula, that began to speak to me in thin place terms with its geometric order, sacred form and beautiful stonework preserved as it may have been 1,500 years ago. It was considered a spiritual oratory or place of prayer for foreigners and pilgrims wanting sanctuary or before departing to the Americas. It is said to be dark and confining inside with a narrow and thick threshold. A small opening facing east seemed to be a window back to the past. After prayers, visitors would proceed outside moving westward from relative darkness to openness, fresh air and light. For my own experiences of this Gallarus Oratory, many questions arose. As an historical landmark, it functions as such with admissions, information video and tour bus car park. As a consequence, throughout the day hundreds of people visit the site at the same time making it difficult to experience it as a sacred space. Once the place was vacated and quiet, I was able to edit out the noise and those previous encounters with the space, pause and re-enter it. After tuning into the space, I was able to experience the difference between the experience of inside the space, its cut sandstone threshold and back again to the outside enclosure space. I felt a stillness and serenity inside the space and real compression at the threshold. When xviii  ◻

PREFACE  ◼

I emerged outside, I felt the sea breeze refreshingly hit my face and the light of the sky was uplifting. I felt propelled into a sense of optimism and joy. This was certainly a numinous experience, Figure 0.1 Gallarus Oratory. Just to the north of the Oratory is a burial site of a flattened stone bed and at the eastern edge of it is a small standing red stone as a marker for the space. At the curved top embedded in the stone is a circle with an equal-armed cross within it. This iconographic symbol has been a fascination of mine for years since I came across one that is similar at the top of St. Francis Cathedral in Assisi, Italy. It has several meanings including the union of heaven and earth, male and female, and as an astronomical symbol it represents the planet Earth. The circle represents the round celestial sky, and the cross represents the four corners of the known world. Finding it at Gallarus Oratory was a revelation of seeing this edge of the world and heaven beyond, a thin place. My experience of Skellig Michael Island ultimately was exhilarating. I drove two hours from Dingle to Portmagee where I caught a small boat with 11 other 0.1 Gallarus Oratory: (a) inside window, (b) facing the entrance westward, (c) equal-armed cross

 

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◼ PREFACE passengers to the islands. It took nearly an hour to get there and, like me, the others were uncertain about what to expect. When we arrived very near Small Skellig, the excitement really increased as the sheer cliffs and thousands of birds were impressive. Then as we approached Skellig Michael, the excitement increased even more. Upon landing at Cross Cove at the southeast base, I looked up the austere cliffs which were daunting with the moon hovering just beyond its edge, Figure 0.2a. Small monk constructed stone steps with no handrails traversed up 618 steps up the steep rocky slopes to the monastery site, and at times climbing them was quite terrifying, Figure 0.2b. However, upon reaching the monastery site high 0.2 Skellig Michael: (a) landing base, (b) South Stone steps, (c) the monastery terrace and beehive huts

 

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above the cliffs, it was exciting and a relief, and it did create an immense feeling of awe, Figure 0.2c. I found the fairly small, south-facing garden space just below the monastery site to be inviting and wondered how important it was in providing sustenance for the monks for so many centuries. In the center of the monastery terrace, I found a small patch of dirt and grass and held a handful up to get a sense of the earth there, Figure 0.3b. I spent some time within one of the beehive huts and it was intimate like camping in a stone tent. I wondered what it might have 0.3 Parting moments in Ireland: (a) Dingle sunset, (b) Skellig Michael Earth

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◼ PREFACE been like to have lived and slept there on the slightly sloping stone floor, especially over long periods of time and in inclement weather. There certainly was a feeling of serenity. It was my climb down that was most terrifying as the steps were steep, fairly narrow with sheer rock faces often on both sides of the path. On reaching the bottom, I felt a sense of connectedness to the ground and sea and experienced the thin place edge the monks so religiously desired. My reflections of the experience relative to thin places were mixed. As a monastic and penitent site occupied by a small monastic order for centuries, it felt like a spiritual thin place at the end of the known world, and that communion with God could best occur in harsh isolated regions like Skellig Michael. As a historic site and nature reserve, the thousands of visitors each year, like myself, only experience it in a transient moment as outsiders. Yet the experience did have some numinous emotions filled with fascination, wonder and even terror. It was difficult to have truly transcendent experiences or as Rudolf Otto would say connections to “the Other,” partly because of the short period of time on the island and partly due to the inability to get quiet moments alone in order to have solitary withdrawal and a centering experience. So, the full power or potential of a thin place seems to require more time and a more contemplative approach to the experience. The preservation of cultural and historic sites and natural reserves is important as memory of the past and lessons for the future. Although many if not most did initially function as thin places during their prime use, such as community wells, burial grounds, fortified settlements, stone calendrical monuments, chapels and even ancient cities, but today they appear to be somehow frozen in time. The physical remains are still here, but the vital activities seem to somehow have vanished. They no longer function as thin places as originally intended. This realization led me to the following question – where and when can thin place experiences be cultivated in contemporary society today? My Dingle friends mentioned that many people visit Ireland with romantic notions of it, that it is beautiful colorful landscapes, filled with fairies, leprechauns and nature spirits. And that it possesses sacred doorways into magical worlds. At one time, the western coast of Ireland was considered the edge of the known world leading to the unknown beyond. Ireland in general and more specifically the southwest peninsulas do feel like the end of the European continent. There is a definite edge created by the islands and expanse of the North Atlantic Ocean. So, its location, geography and landscape do support these imaginings. Yet Ireland is a modern country living in contemporary times with around five million people. I asked my friends, Oisin and Triona what thin places they might experience at this time, and without hesitation, they mentioned going to the beach, especially the Inch spit and strand just a few kilometers from their home. There they can immerse in the elements of the sun, ocean, sand and sea breeze, and experience awe, serenity, enchantment and joy all in one place. It became clear that Irish thin places were changing function and place with time. For me, I did not encounter the end of the rainbow, leprechauns, Pan, angels, nature spirits or other spiritual apparitions. However, I did receive something from the hearts of the Irish people I graciously met and a connection to the land they call “Eire.”

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It was these travels that allowed me to experience the source of many Irish thin places and deepen into a better understanding of the numinous emotions they elicited. This experience led me to a way of feeling thin places without preconceptions or expectations. They also offered the opportunity for a systematic process of perceiving and analyzing thin places through their basic patterns of place, that was being aware of the sense of passage, center, boundary, upward and downward movement, the presence of nature, and my own ceremonial participation with the place. Regardless of whether they were ancient memories or contemporary moments, thin places seem to have a presence and purpose for today. I reflected on the Dingle sunset, Figure 0.3a, and how for some 16 centuries visitors and residents of this place viewed this West view filled with wonder and promise. Now, part of the challenge is to find and protect these existing thin places and to create new ones that are accessible and meaningful. One can exist on the spiritual edge and pass safely back and forth through the course of daily life. What I did not realize from the outset of creating this book was the journey where I deepened into the writing process and eventually began to truly understand the numinous magic and spiritual grace of thin places. Thin places have been a calling for me. Thin Place Design: Architecture of the Numinous seeks to rediscover this purpose and apply it to the places in which we live; our homes, workplaces, schools and walks in nature. It is vitally important to preserve both the existing natural and historic thin place sites while at the same time creating new ones through the design of awe-inspired and serene architecture, landscape and urban spaces. With this in mind, arose two fundamental questions to which the work that follows primarily addresses: one, exactly what are thin places their environmental, social, physical, spiritual and placemaking characteristics that contribute to rendering them thin, and two, how can we make them accessible and relevant for today? Phillip James Tabb Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia

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Acknowledgments

Thanks goes to all my teachers who over the years contributed to my interest and understanding of things sacred. I’d like to thank Professor Rebecca Krinke at the University of Minnesota for introducing me to the concept of thin places. Thanks goes to Kathryn Snell, my Commissioning Editor and her assistants George Russell and Megha Patel at Routledge in New York City. I am grateful for the collaborative work I did with Veronica Schreibeis Smith, Gove DuPuy and Lahra Tatrele on the development of a Global Wellness Design Trends, which contributed to ideas about wellness outcomes due to the numinous in architecture. I also would like to thank Bill Browning and Catie Ryan Balagtas of Terrapin Bright Green for their work and collaboration on thin places and the architecture of awe that was presented to the Living Building Future LF22 workshop in 2022. I would like to thank Dr. Summer Allen with the Greater Good Science Center for her research into the science of awe and comments related to this book. I am especially grateful for my communications with Michael Brill in the late 1980s on charged places, which led to many of the thin place concepts presented in this book. And I would also like to thank Dr. Keith Critchlow for the knowledge I gained while working and teaching in his Kairos School of Sacred Architecture, and thanks to Dr. Gail Thomas who gave me guidance on mythic narratives associated with cities. David and Lila Tresemer were my clients for the StarHouse, which afforded me the opportunity to design using sacred geometry and cosmological concepts. I would like to acknowledge Liz and Nelson Mitchell who created the professorship at Texas A&M University that I held for six years. Thanks goes to Phyllis Bleiweis who engaged in many conversations about thin places and initially edited the manuscript, to Noa Hecht who reviewed the pattern analyses for each of the case studies, and to Rachel Garceau who graciously gave permission to use her land art sculpture for the cover of this book. I would like to thank Steve and Marie Nygren for believing in me to help guide the planning for Serenbe Community into a thin place. I would especially like to thank Oisin Lavery and Triona Butler Lavery who suggested to me many of the thin place sites in Ireland and graciously showed me their thin place house. Thanks goes to Professor Kevin McCartney Director of the Cork Centre for Architectural Education who showed me from thin places to Pubs around Cork, Ireland. Also, I’d like to thank my friends and neighbors in Serenbe who also gave me the names of places to visit in Ireland. Thanks to my dear neighbor Dr. Brunilda Nazario with whom I have had many conversations about health and wellness. Very special thanks go to my family, especially to my sons Michael and David, and to

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Shea, Kristin Tabb, to my grandsons Emrys, Caius and James Tabb, my sister Janice, brother-in-law Richard Nourse, niece Jing Nicholson and to all my friends. Thanks go to my Serenbe Community neighbors and colleagues at Texas A&M University who also have supported me in this work. I suppose the book was in part written to all of us now living in the hope the world will evolve so that future generations may enjoy and benefits from fresh, invigorating and more direct experiences of nature and the magic of the sacred world of the architecture and the unknown. The hope is that our planet truly becomes a home. And very special thoughts go to the memory of my parents Frank and Tryphosa Tabb who I am sure would be proud of this book. NOTES 1. Tabb, Phillip J., Thin Place Design: Architecture of the Numinous (New York, NY: Routledge, 2023). 2. Sima, Richard, Why Is It Awesome that Your Brain Can Experience Awe (Accessed September 15, 2022) https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2022/09/15/ awe-mental-health/ 3. Tabb, Phillip J., Thin Place Design: Architecture of the Numinous (New York, NY: Routledge, 2024).

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1  THIN PLACES Definitions, Origins and Characteristics

THIN PLACES We seem to live in a place that is overwrought by external forces. Contentious news, infatuation with new technologies, diminishing sense of interconnectedness, mindless pursuits of consumption, thrills and status, and seeking entertainment, mobility and escapes – all are disconnecting us from fuller more meaningful lives. However, there are many places throughout the world that are considered sacred that exist outside this thick contemporary cultural context. They exist on every continent, country and within natural and urban environments. Their experiences momentarily take us away from everyday life to profoundly extraordinary or blissfully serene places and are reminders of the beauty and wonder in the world and its gifts of life. There are many benefits associated with these experiences. Sometimes these places are restorative, healing and supporting wellness, and at other times they are mysterious, thought-provoking and awe-inspiring. And they can contribute to spiritual or religious experiences, even if only momentary. These places readily occur in nature, in green and blue spaces, forest bathing, and foodscapes, in mesmerizing architecture, in vital urban settings and in religious buildings or sacred sites. Sacred places are qualitatively different. These experiences are enabled within what are called thin places, which are places where connections to the sacred are more likely to occur. Simply, they are “spiritual experiential thresholds.” They are charged by elicitors or triggers that can be a dramatic view, mountain top, tranquil brook, a beautiful building interior, a Zen garden, a musical event, a poetry reading, a spiritual ceremony or a lively urban plaza. Transformative experiences in such places are not guaranteed, yet as the connection to the unknown or sacred becomes thinner, they are more likely to occur. While the spatial qualities can vary, there appears to be a common set of fundamental characteristics or physical patterns where this thinness occurs through which the sacred can more easily be connected and experienced.1 What makes thin places important is complex involving understandings of both the nature of place and emotions that result. They are accessible to everyone and make us feel as though we are part of something greater than ourselves. Thin places give us opportunities to step outside of ourselves and our everyday lives, and to give us new perspectives and experiences that are self-transcendent and outside our normal range of experience. They give us experiences, even if momentary, that are extraordinarily beautiful, incredibly tranquil or contemplative and insightful. These varying experiences often produce positive effects including physiological,

DOI: 10.4324/9781003354888-1

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◼ THIN PLACES 1.1 Thin place clearing in the woods

emotional and cognitive responses. And they can also elicit what is called “supernatural causality” connecting us deeply into the unknown, spiritual or divine.2 Charles Darwin in 1872 posited that emotions and emotional expressions have evolutionary origins and therefore a survival advantage.3 The woodland clearing in Figure 1.1 defines a place that is activated by the surrounding soft green foliage and warm colorful pool of mid-day sunlight. In this example, the thin place is inviting and relatively intimate evoking a serene energy that is luminous and beautiful. The focus on thin places leads to two questions: what exactly are thin places and what makes them different from ordinary spaces? DEFINITIONS Thin places are locations or settings where a thin veil exists between the earthly world within which we live and the heavenly spiritual world that possesses an energy that is qualitatively different. Thin places are often referred to as sacred places, holy places, sanctuary places, vital places, soulful places, serene places or charged places. They function in secular or religious ways. They possess certain energies and have characteristics that are guided by self-evident principles underlying the spiritual imagination and source experience whether they are found in nature or the built environment.

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According to theologian Belden Lane, there are a set of principles that are phenomenological categories of what he called “mythogenesis.”4 These characters of experience or axioms of sacred places pre-exist our encounter of thin places. They underlie the way in which these places ignite the imagination, and they provide an interesting way of understanding the nature of sacred places. The first axiom is that a thin place is not chosen; it chooses. This suggests a place-centered origin (opposite of solipsism). Sacred places are not determined by human-centered perspectives or in deterministic ways, but are chosen by the land, genius loci or a higher presence. While design intentions are important, they do not guarantee connections to this higher presence. It is the energy and presence of an otherworldly, unknown or divine source that seeks us out. The second axiom is these places can be ordinary places, ritually made extraordinary, where ritual acts are performed that set it apart from secular space. This suggests a different state of mind and participatory respect for the place, and that sacred places are abundantly located everywhere. Third is that these places can be tread upon without being entered, where recognition is existentially discerned, meaning that sacred places are related to increased levels of openness and elevated consciousness. And the last axiom is the impulse within these places are both centripetal (local) and centrifugal (universal), and that the sacred nature of the space is not confined to a single locale. This axiom allows for serene moments at the intimate scale and cosmic experiences at the larger scale. It also suggests that a divine source can be expressed both locally, like a beautiful flower or flickering candle, and according to Lane, can be simultaneously larger and smaller, never confined to a single locale like a colorful sunset, rainbow or starlit night sky. What makes a place, a PLACE and what make a thin place, THIN? A thin place is made with three ingredients or processes. First is a set of principles that are intentional for and embodied in making sacred place. They are a priori and set of archetypal principles informing place creation. This is something nonphysical that charges that place contributing to its “other worldly” experience. Second are integral physical representations considered as ectypal patterns in that they reflect the ideal and universal principles that all places share. An ectype, as opposed to an archetype, is a representation, copy, design or pattern of an ideal, principle, source energy or perfect model.5 The number of ectypal patterns present and the quality of their expressions contribute to their ability to become charged or to unveil a sacred source. Third is the typal realm, which is a specific physical example reflecting archetypes and ectypes in site-specific ways. It is between the ectype and type that the thin place veil exists. The typal realm is a place-specific, real and concrete example that is separated by the thin place veil. Refer to the Tetractys diagram in Figure 1.2.6 •

•

Source – is the origin or emanation; it is the generative cause and where something begins, where it springs into being (celestial phenomenon, natural feature, energy or deity). In architecture, it is the highest and most noble expression of inspiration, quality and inclusiveness. Archetype – is the power activity, which generates from the source. From Latin it is archetypum, and from Greek arkhetupos meaning original.

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◼ THIN PLACES 1.2 Tetractys and veil

•

•

Some definitions for archetype view it as a model or pattern, but these are really ectypes. Archetypal energies can be understood through myths, sacred traditions and other phenomenological examples or active ideas. In architecture it is its ennobling or soulful intent. Ectype – is a model or abstract representation of the informing archetype. It is a copy of an original energy that has previously existed and is an un-manifest guiding model for all in its type. It can be iconic and repeatable. In architecture, it is the conceptual design or model describing the intent of the scheme. Type – is a concrete example of the ectypal model and archetypal energy. It is an example of something having common traits or characteristics, yet it distinguishes itself as a unique and specific thing separate from all other things. It is existing, diverse and variable. In architecture it is a specific building in a specific place.

According to Mindie Burgoyne, thin places are places in which a svelte veil exists between our secular world and the sacred, where an energetic connection and nexus can more easily be made.7 The exact nature of this veil is not really known, but certainly is sensed. Thin places are mesmerizing places that form a transitional experience and often alter our perception of time. In the context of this work, the terrestrial elements and our associated senses are transformed by these experiences. For a thin place to function, it requires three primary processes. First is a source, point, trigger, logos or an emanation through which a divine cognitive or emotional connection is made. Second is the place of connection, pathos, a safe line of reference near or far, an emotional appeal or receptivity, and sympathetic resonance or location of being. And third is an ethos, context or a defining territory, a place that is peaceful, historic, sacred, special or extraordinary in some way. It is the character or personality of the place, and the guiding principles, morals and beliefs. This three-fold set of processes of source trigger, connecting line and charged place contributes to the transformative experience of a thin place. It is important to know that any of these processes and the particular physical patterns that occur may be exaggerated within the thin place. This contributes to several emotional experiences including awe and serene emotions. Physical patterns, such

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1.3 Thin place diagrammatic modes

as the uninterrupted view, spatial quality, going down and reaching outward and upward are found at the Grand Canyon. Refer to Figure 1.3 where the source (1), the receiver (2) and thin place (3) are identified in relation to one another. •

•

•

Source – the origin from which a charged or sacred experience is derived. The source can be divine, celestial, naturally occurring or human made. It is a trigger, such as natural scenery, encounter with God, Great virtue, great building, powerful leader or extraordinary art. It is an ineffable energy and beyond ordinary experience. It can occur by being in the presence of someone of immense prestige. It has associations with the monad and logos and with the sacred number ONE. Human Connection – the involvement of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual receptivity and connection with a source. There is the sense of nearness and a sympathetic resonance. Being susceptible, aware and even ritual behavior can open the thin place experience. It has associations with the dyad and pathos and with the sacred number TWO. Thin Place – the physical location or setting in which a connection to source is particularly close and charged. It can elicit either an interiority or exteriority of experience. It can contain a plurilocality including coexistence with opposites. It has associations with the triad and ethos and with the sacred number THREE.

ORIGINS OF THIN PLACES The concept of thin places is purported to date around 500 B.C. in Celtic Great Britain; however, prehistoric monuments constructed much earlier have thin place characteristics and functions. Thin places were part of pagan belief systems existing before the Celts. Many of the stone monuments built then formed experiential connections between certain terrestrial locations on earth and the celestial heavens

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◼ THIN PLACES beyond them. It is likely the functions of thin places can be traced back further to earlier Stone Age megaliths, where the cosmological world was seen to contain divine motions and mysteries of the stars, planets and other celestial bodies. They also measured time, marked agricultural cycles, helped understand the dwelling places of the gods and formulated creation myths and stories of our beginnings. It is believed that some physical places on earth are closer to energy centers, energy lines or mystical spots than others. Memorials, made by human beings, have been marking these energy spots for millions of years. They are characterized by the Leonardo Meigas Hartmann electromagnetic grid or net, energy fissures and ley lines or what have been called “Dragon Lines.” Some sites seem to possess a vitality and aliveness that is compelling. The Stone and Bronze Age, Celtic and Pre-Christian people of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall and England had a keen sense for creating these kinds of places. Places like the Isle of Iona, Newgrange, Stonehenge and Glastonbury Chalice Well and Gardens are among these ancient thin places. Other thin places represented throughout the world include the Moai of Easter Island, The Tiger’s Nest in Bhutan, Uluru in Australia, Rainbow Bridge in Utah, Serpent Mound in Ohio, Cenote Sagrado in Mexico, the Mogao Caves in China and Kinkakuji Temple in Kyoto. One can only imagine seeing the Earth from Apollo 17 for the first time as a thin place experience, and one can wonder at the miracle of childbirth. In each of these places, there appears to be a strong sense of the past while simultaneously there is still fervent awareness of the present and possible premonitions or precognitions of the future. The Nine Choirs of Angels is a fourth-century A.D. Pseudo-Dionysian depiction of angelic energies that exist in a hierarchal progression emanating from God. In Malcolm Godwin’s text, “Angels: An Endangered Species,” he describes the nine angelic orders in three triads surrounding the divine core.8 The angelic triad of the highest order, found closest to the source, focuses on completing the glory of God. They included Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones and possessed the primary vibration of love. The third triad of angels was considered to be dwelling at the borders of heaven and was closest to humans and concerned with the affairs of living things. They included Principalities, Archangels and Angels. The Choirs of Angels is a metaphor expressing the hierarchal function and progression of the temporal and spatial order of a thin place. Experience of a thin place usually follows certain spatial and temporal sequences, not unlike this metaphor of the Choirs of Angels, progressing from the secular realm to passage and portal entering into a thin place, and finally beyond into the heart if the thin place at which time the veil becomes thin or completely disappears allowing for a more accessible connection with a sacred source. Where space defines the physical context of a thin place, time perception is mutable and defines the duration of the experience. Figure 1.4a is a photograph of Stonehenge located in Salisbury Plain, UK at sunrise. Built in multi-phases over a 1,500-year period, it is believed to have functioned as a burial site, a royalty final resting site, a pilgrimage and ceremonial site, a celestial observation site and is considered to be a thin place because of those activities and its design. The monument today is ruinous and has been a revived with neo-druidic ceremonies. For the most part, it seems a shadow of its original vitality and function. Today, Stonehenge is normally fenced off from the public, yet 170,000 people from around the world watched the solstice online this year (2022).9

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1.4 Thin places: (a) Stonehenge sunrise, (b) the annunciation by Fra Angelico

Figure 1.4b is an image from the 1435 A.D. Early Renaissance fresco of the Annunciation by Fra Angelico. Like much Renaissance art depicting the Annunciation, there is an architectural element, in this case a column, between the archangel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary that serves to separate the heavenly (with the expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden) and earthly realms with Mary in her chair.

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◼ THIN PLACES This column is a symbol of the thin place veil. A stream of light emanates from the sun, passes through the arched thin place occupied by Gabriel and arrives at the heart of Mary. This represents a graphic depiction of a thin place experience and what Franciscan Richard Rohr calls “the edge,” or the edge of the inside.10 THIN PLACES IN IRELAND Prehistoric Britain – Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic (Stone Age), Bronze Age and Iron Age – spanned hundreds of thousands of years, and thin places were most likely naturally occurring until habitation became more settled and people began to build thin places using timber, earth and stone. Thin place monuments, like Stonehenge, built on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, were considered to be constructed 5,000 years ago for calendrical, burial and memorial purposes.11 The Iron Age in the age of the “Celts” in Britain, and over the 500 or so years leading up to the first Roman invasion in 43 A.D. The Isla of Iona, off the coast of Scotland, is considered the birthplace of Celtic Christianity and has attracted the many pilgrims for nearly 1,500 years. Iona has drawn so many visitors to such a remote spot with its enormous appeal that is quite out of proportion to its size. According to Julie Ferguson, “the isle’s turbulent past creates a porous veil between then and now, substantial and spiritual.”12 Iona is known as a thin place and within the context of ever-changing pellucid skies, its far northern light and air and its spiritual history; the veil between the tangible and sacred become quite thin. The experience at the Isle of Iona is described as being magical, uplifting, profound, opening and peaceful with an outlook that is life changing. The ferry ride to the island, the surrounding colorful sea and sandy pebbled beaches, the sounds of lambs, green crops, the stone structures and Abbey tower and crosses reaching skyward, the royal well deeply rooted in the ground and the rich sense and vibrations of historic past – all contribute to the thinning of the place’s veil. And according to David Kirkpatrick, the ancient Celts believed that a traveler could oftentimes pass through the tissue or touch of the “Otherworld” as pictured in the examples in Ireland in Figure 1.5.13 Ireland is home to a myriad of thin places across the island. According to Kevin Koch, water, earth, stones, bedrock, mountain peaks, offshore misty islands, tombs, animals, bones, oak trees and wells were early Celtic spiritual elements in Ireland.14 The wells, for example were viewed as thresholds between the unknown subterranean world and the outer world of light and form.15 Ireland’s island topography could be seen as a thin place with the oceans and seas along with coastal mountains and sea cliffs framing the glassier flattened sacramental interior landscape.16 Mountains and peaks had mythical significance in pre-Christian Ireland and later were given saintly place names. They symbolized upward reach, boundaries between territories and were grounds for ritual ceremonies.17 In order to better understand Ireland’s thin places, I visited Ireland in September of 2022, photographed and documented my numinous experiences there. I was given more than a dozen places to visit by a local resident and friends on social media. Following is a summary of many of the places that were visited.18

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1.5 Irish thin places: (a) Dunquin Pier, (b) Glendalough Monastic Settlement, (c) Barra Oratory, (d) Newgrange Monument

 

  The Newgrange Passage Tomb, for example, is a Stone Age (Neolithic) monument built more than 5,000 years ago. The mound is nearly 263 feet (80 m) in diameter and 45 feet (14 m) above the natural grade. It was a place of astrological, spiritual, religious and ceremonial importance and considered an early thin place. On the Winter Solstice, the early morning beam of sunlight passes through a southeast-oriented opening or roof-box passing an incumbent stone into a chamber 62 feet (19 m) in length. In this stone are carved three spirals related to threefold goddesses of transformation – rock into metal, illness to health and ideas into art.19 This center is light-washed for about 17 minutes on this longest night of the year. This illumination of the chamber is marking the beginning of a new year and transformation, where each day slowly becomes longer and more abundant until the apex of Summer Solstice in June. The Hill of Uisneach and ancient ceremonial site is located in the center of Ireland and is considered a Royal Site of Ireland. Holy wells are plentiful in the Irish landscape. I visited Gallarus Oratory on the western end of the Dingle Peninsula. This 1,500-year old site had the primary thin place patterns. The patterns included a circuitous hedgerow, path and passageway to the site, a stone wall boundary, eccentrically nucleated Oratory within the bounded grounds, controlled views and upward-curving stone walls. In the town of Dingle, I found a landmark that is

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◼ THIN PLACES considered Early Christian was called “The Holy Stone.” It appeared on the side of a street next to the sidewalk and seemed completely eclipsed by modernity. It reminded me of Belden Lane’s third axiom that sacred places can be tread upon but not necessarily entered. Two additional thin places, Skellig Michael and the Steeple Dingle, are two case studies discussed later in the book. CONTEMPORARY THEORIES The theoretical basis for thin places has a varied history with mythical, spiritual, religious, philosophical, phenomenological, neurological and physical explanations. Contemporary inquiries have ignited many scholars, sparking both secular and religious interests. And more recently, investigations into awe and serene emotional responses have revealed scientific explanations of experiences and even neuroscience associated with thin places. According to architect C. Page Highfill, when Christianity was introduced a thousand years after the Celts, thin places continued to be built for religious rituals.20 Today with increasing interest in the numinous, the sacred in architecture and the transcendent experiences promoted through particular design intentions, thin places have gained currency. Thin places can be either natural or human-made; or they can be physical or socially constructed. They tend to inform us of a qualitative difference. Highfill outlined five clues or common denominators he associated with thin places. It is his fifth clue, intention, that echoes the concept of the “Golden Thread,” where there is a seamless connection between the source and intention and those involved in the manifestation process: •

•

•

• •

History Density – a temporal dimension where layers of historic events, stories, celebrations, rituals and pilgrimages occur, thereby embodying the thin place with desired remembrances, Cultural Symbols – human-made objects, forms and patterns that convey particular and often special meanings through the images they project or the stories that are attached to them, Intrinsic Symbols – non-human-made but are comprehensible representations with inherent meanings gained through pure number, geometry, color, constellations or wave lengths of light, Bio-Kinetics – a choreographed dimension where movement and experience are aligned with a thin place purpose and spatial order and Intention – the purpose that is embedded, often having spiritual roots, in a thin place, and is embodied and revered through the design process, construction, the occupation and ritual use.

Awe and serene experience research are helpful in understanding thin place experiences and the design consideration that contribute to their charged qualities. To Keltner and Haidt, awe was an Old English and Norse term that expressed fear and dread toward a divine being. The awe research of Keltner and Haidt suggested that awe might have evolved because it prompted reverence and devotion to

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powerful leaders and promoted social cohesion, later being co-opted by cultures to characterize other types of experiences.21 Alternatively, psychologists Alice Chirico and David Yaden suggested it may have evolved because it helped us identify safe places to seek shelter, such as environments with large vistas that would have allowed our hunter-gatherer relatives to see approaching predators or attackers.22 These assertions are echoed in the early Savanna Hypothesis where human bipedalism evolved from arboreal habitats into the savanna. This location, in the Rift Valley in east Africa during the Pleistocene Period (1.8 million years ago), was preferable because of its open spaces that were uniform, with grasses, water features, evidence of nearby animals, flowering and fruiting plants and scattered climbable trees with vantage points above providing defensive protection.23 The Biophilic Hypothesis with its suggestion of our love of nature and natural processes provides early contexts and theoretical intentions for place design, especially as associated with the Savanna Hypothesis. It has been the immense urban and suburban growth of contemporary culture that is the cause for separation from these natural experiences especially on a daily basis. Further separating us from numinous experiences is John Steele’s notion of “temporal density,” where any given interval of time is filled and saturated with a myriad of events, processes, information and thoughts.24 Time is dense requiring great mental and emotional attention and affords little solitude or the ability to attune to thin places. Correspondingly, Justin Zorn and Leigh Marz speak of the need to dispel the theory that our modern world of the increasing volume of information is creating less anxiety and uncertainty, but rather the opposite is in fact true by creating more anxiety and uncertainty, replete with misinformation and disinformation.25 They advocate silence as an antidote, which is a quality of many thin places, especially those facilitating serene emotions. Rudolf Otto’s awe-ful (tremendum) is another manifestation of awe. According to psychologist Jean Piaget, accommodation or the process of adjusting mental or cognitive structures created by the thin place experiences may cause terror if not met, and enlightenment if met. Themes that characterize awe experiences are beauty, threat, ability, virtue and the supernatural. Beauty was seen as the most frequent theme and natural scenery was the greatest elicitor.26 Our attraction to beauty and natural scenery is central to the biophilic effect. The perception of vastness and the need to mentally adapt to or accommodate an awe experience were seen as two cognitive appraisals central to the experience. Vastness in this sense refers to the perception of phenomena, events, or individuals that appear larger than oneself due to size, volume or intangible markers such as fame, status, rank or position. The quiet awe, conversely, is supported by beautiful, captivating and serene settings. Research into human emotion places awe as one of the emotional experiences among several clusters of emotions. For positive emotions on the elevated or high-arousal end of the six-factor scale are awe, wonder and astonishment and at the more passive or low-arousal end of the scale are serene, content and peaceful.27 Also, peak experiences can appear involving a heightened sense of wonder and ecstasy that exists beyond normal everyday occurrences. Time is perceived to change and even momentarily slow down or even stop.28 According to Summer

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◼ THIN PLACES Allen, experiencing awe often puts people in a self-transcendent state (piloerection) where they focus less on themselves and feel more like a part of a larger whole.29 The unity experience can be described through a number of disciplines including philosophy, spirituality, physics, mathematics, music and geometry. From a spiritual perspective, it may be the return to our original divine essence. From a neuroscientific view, it may be neurocorrelates in the brain resonating with an electrical field. And from a physics perspective, it may be particle entanglement and spin-wave directionality.30 Unity experience is an elegant way that reflects the Universe and our concept(s) of a higher power. To Lionel Corbett, the unity or union experience occurs with the divine in which there is no sense of a separate self, no distinction between oneself and others or between oneself and the world.31 In design unity has two actions, first is the division of unity into interrelated harmonic parts reflecting the whole; and second, the disillusion or dematerialization of the parts into a comprehensive whole. Thin places have also been associated with Michel Foucault’s concept of “heterotopia” or places that are simultaneously physical and conscious or mental.32 Heterotopia literally means “other place,” and suggests dwelling where various layers exist especially beyond our immediate perceptions of them. They are spaces that are isolated and penetrable, like a garden or purification space and not freely accessible, such as found in secular public spaces. But they can be accessible in certain cultural, institutional and discursive setting through processes of ritual or controlled conditions. Foucault goes on to suggest that heterotopic space creates an illusion that exposes the real space (sacred space). Heterotopia can be a single real place like a room or garden, a juxtaposition or microcosm of several spaces at varying scales. Similarly, Edward William Soja developed his theory of “Thirdspace” that contains both real (first space) and imagined space (second space), as opposites such as knowable and unknowable, abstract and concrete, and conscious and unconscious.33 Further he proposes a space in between these (third space) that is both real and imagined. He then explains that it is in constant negotiations between participants and “an-Other.” Soja sees the quality of Thirdspace as being described in spatial theoretical terms that privilege uncertainties and reject authoritative paradigmatic structures. Architecture and urban design support the concept of thin places, charged places, first places or Thirdplaces because they can decrease its material presence and contribute to the revealing of a state of otherness, including the pure qualities of the elements – fire, earth, air, water and ether. They can then better connect us to transcendent experiences in these charged places. According to Jean-Paul Bedard, “In a place [thin places] in which the physical and spiritual worlds are knit together, and if we are so attuned, we can transcend the ordinary for a glimpse of the infinite.”34 The holy and the human are transversed. Bedard goes on to suggest that thin places are not only exclusively sacred or even peaceful places but also can be dissonance places or transformational plateaus. Thin place experiences do not extend over long periods of time, but rather are momentary. They tend to annul unhappiness and can lead to high-level wellness. So, what is the nature of an experience like this?

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In his chapter in the book “The Idea of the Numinous,” psychiatrist Lionel Corbett suggests that it is the quality of the numinous experience that is important and not its specific content.35 They occur through a variety of channels, including dreams, visionary experiences and experiences of nature, and through the body. He further identified the four characteristics of a numinous or mythic state experience as explained by William James in 1902 in his seminal work The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study of Human Nature. These characteristics are important in understanding the nature of a thin place experience. One, numinous experiences are ineffable – defying the normal expression of ordinary conceptual language. Two, numinous experiences have noetic and cognitive content – they produce an overwhelming sense of clarity. Three, numinous experiences are transient – usually less than a half hour, but rarely more than a few hours. Four, numinous experiences are passive and produce positive affects – in the grip of superior power and can produce healing. Phenomenologist Edward Casey studied the importance of place in our lived experience that exists outside our corporeal relations to space. In Casey’s work, “The World on Edge,” edges of metaphysical, ontological and phenomenological significance have a strong correspondence with the function of the veil in thin places and the distinct presences they possess.36 The thin place can be the veil and is a place in the midst of edges and therefore is in-between. Christian NorbergSchulz in “Genesis Loci” studied the relationship between spirit and place and the creation of existential space that is meaningful and where life occurs.37 Both scholars see place as being distinct with embodied meaning and connections to daily life. Eric Weiner in his New York Times article in 2012 saw thin places not as spiritual breakthroughs, but as new ways of seeing or unmasking the world and the transformative magic of travel.38 In order to access a thin place more easily, Weiner suggested that we eliminate our expectations and guidebooks. While many thin places are within natural settings, thin places can occur as sacred moments in unconventional places such as airport terminals, bookstores and even Irish Pubs. This is an important observation especially for secular thin place experiences where access is more easily obtained. Further, it is important that thin places facilitate a broad range of human emotions from intimate and vast emotional experiences. Biophilia is an emerging field within the confluence of natural and social sciences, philosophy, evolutionary biology and the design disciplines. Biophilia’s epistemology derives from the two Greek terms bio meaning “life,” and philia meaning “affection or friendly feeling toward.” In Edward O. Wilson’s Biophilic Hypothesis, this attraction is considered to be innate, subconscious and evinced in daily life.39 According to Kaplan and Kaplan, landscapes today that resemble savannas or are parklike are preferred.40 Savanna Hypothesis further suggests that this first evolutionary step would also include not only an affiliation and adaptation to the environmental characteristic of this landscape and a survival advantage, but also a sense of

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◼ THIN PLACES beauty about it. So, the relationship between biophilia and thin places suggests that numinous experiences source sacred in the natural world or what Lionel Corbett calls the “numinosity of nature.”41 THIN PLACE CHARACTERISTICS What characteristics appear to be common to thin places? Understanding the extraordinary difference between ordinary and thin places is important in identifying the characteristic that seem to charge places and help enable transcendent experiences. Upon initial analysis of the thin places, there are three general characteristics. They are thin places as place containers, thin places as defined by veils, and thin places charged by extraordinary elicitors. This place-veil-elicitor is a phenomenal confluence that generates human emotional responses to thin places. As a container, it is the three-dimensional placemaking characteristics and properties of the physical site that give form to the experience. This includes its external appearance and design, shape, scale and substantial and material qualities. A thin place container can be made by nature with natural features and can equally be created in the built environment. It is a participatory vessel and setting that supports nourishing, stimulating and/or transformative experiences. In nature as a spatial object, its function and form can vary from a cauldron, intimate space or calm body of water to an edge, precipices or breathtaking mountaintop. In architecture, it can be highly expressive and dramatic or intimate and soulful. The corporeal characteristic of a thin place are the physical and spatial qualities that define and give structure to the experience of the place. They have dimension and material substance and help structure, frame or contain a thin-place emotional experience. In design, the horizontal area is the most effective in producing the perception of spaciousness, followed by height.42 As a container, a thin place either gathers energy or it extends it outward. Further as a container, it creates the context and is a spatial holder for rituals, meditations, healing and other participatory engagements to be performed. As a holder, it is a safe place and limits distractions and unwanted interventions. And as a container, it has physical characteristic, such as an identifiable boundary or edge and an openness either outward eliciting awe experiences or inward eliciting serene experiences. In the I-Ching, Book of Changes, the 50th hexagram is the Cauldron and is seen as a container that fosters nourishment and offerings to the divine.43 To Lionel Corbett, a sacred cauldron is a connection to the sacred dimension and symbolically churns and turns over releasing transformative energy.44 As a veil, it is thin where the placemaking patterns combine with a certain level of consciousness becoming more accessible to the experience of special elicitors or source. The veil of separation between the two worlds becomes thin and experientially reachable. The veil is not physical in the corporeal sense, but rather is existential becoming increasingly transparent. According to Amanda Linette Meder, thin place veil accessibility can readily occur when (1) personal boundaries drop and you are more susceptible to experience; (2) when special times occur, especially during crepuscular hours or seasonal changes (solstices and equinoxes) or (3) when special places occur such as land-water edges, geological hotspots, waterfalls, mountaintops or with extraordinary architecture.45 For example, the veil becomes

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particularly thin during a personal meditation, at Winter Solstice, and within a sacred site. The veil is a change point and moment. To Richard Rohr, the veil is not that which separates the secular and the sacred, but rather blurring the division between the superficial and profound. The veil becomes of the holy and simultaneously the pro-holy (that which is in front of the holy).46 A source is mysterious and appears everywhere and everywhen. The term derives from the Latin “surgere” meaning first cause, a generative force, origin, a rising up or ascent. In nature source manifests in life energy, celestial magnificence and nature’s beauty. As a source, the thin place contains an energy or presence that can be either focused by a particular elicitor like a chapel altar or more universal in nature such as the night sky. The combination of the place and elicitor(s) increases the transparency of the veil and helps facilitate a connection to the ineffable, mysterious, spiritual, source or divinity that exists otherworldly beyond the veil. The ineffable characteristics of a thin place are the nonphysical independent qualities that become revealed and can be sensed or felt most often with luminous qualities. They are elicitors for certain charged human emotions. For example, an elicitor and the source beyond it could be an extraordinarily dramatic and colorful sunset with white light radiating through it. 1. Thin Place as Container – is the three-dimensional placemaking characteristics and properties of the physical site. The container is identifiable, bounded in some way and exists between the vast and intimate. It has dimension – height, width, length, depth and material qualities. It can be a whole landscape, room, building or public space. 2. Thin Place as Veil – is usually invisible, but in some instances may be perceived as a mist, cloud formation or rays of light. The veil occurs both in space and time. It occupies the place in between and can exist between thick and thin – passageway, gate, wall, cliff, beach, entrance, foyer or portico. 3. Thin Place as Source – is ineffable, formless, unseen and expresses through the elicitor characteristics of the place and is knowable when present. It can carry mythical narratives and express the first cause or possess qualities of the first place. The source can be analogous to a spring, geyser, volcanic eruption, rainbow, sunset or falling star. THE VEIL Veils, beyond their literal associations as garments with ceremonial significance, are defined as something that covers, conceals or disguises. It is a permeable membrane of perception. Thin places are also considered a veil. As a veil, they initially maintain a certain sense of separation as well as a concealment and closeness to something magical, unknown, sacred or divine, and later become thinner, more transparent and accessible to a source and source experience. The veil in this sense can be experienced as part or whole of the thin place. As a space, the veil has a special function. It serves to make both a spatial and temporal pause and transition. It is part of an A-B-C spatial sequence, where (B) is the transitional space between the secular (A) and sacred (C). This can be discrete, contained spaces such

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◼ THIN PLACES as entrances, foyers, lobbies and passageways, or ones that are only suggested or partly defined like porches, gateways and corbeled portals. Naturally, they occur as an edge or passage. For thin places that are vast, the veil space extends and expands as an access and passage sequence, and for serene thin places the veil is usually less overt and more intimately scaled to the thin place. The formal characteristics of a veil affect thin place experiences and functions, and they can assume various forms. The three primary forms are veil as edge, veil as passage and veil as an encompassing space. Experiencing the edge, one is still in secular space waiting for a sign, an invitation or the veil to become more porous. The veil is a membrane, wall, window or doorway. Experiencing the veil as a passage space, one is still waiting but most likely in preparation or attuning. It is a bridge or threshold moment of centering before entering the sacred space. And experiencing the veil as a whole space, one is consumed by the omnipresence of the source. The veil is more like an enclosure, a bubble, temple or universe. Lionel Corbett suggests that the whole place is like a container or cauldron that cooks the sacred ingredients facilitating the transformative process. The thin place veil exists in between a source and participant as it both separates and as it becomes thin, it connects them. The veil is both an edge in space and time. As in an ecological setting, and edge of two unique habitats flourishes, and with a spiritual edge, there is an understanding, an experience and a becoming of something beyond. The veil obfuscates that which is not seen or hidden, but actually exists and is ever present. The veil lifts, time seems to slow down and even stop, and the tangible (rational) and intangible (non-rational) appear to unite. As part, the veil assumes the role of a threshold and an edge (i.e., The Grand Canyon or a seaside beach). To Edward Casey, this edge has two functions – bearing up and bearing out.47 Bearing up is a support of the experience of the thin place and bearing out is outward extension of the experience. Casey suggests further that edges often bring with them anxiety, uncertainty and precariousness, especially true for awe-oriented thin places. As whole, the veil assumes a cover up of the whole thing or whole place, and it is at the edges of the veil that the veil is lifted and what is beyond is revealed (i.e., The Sistine Chapel or a Holy Well). Casey suggests that veils, edges, thresholds, borders and boundaries are described are important to placemaking.48 •

• • • •

Veils – Cover up or over and are mutable from thick to thin are separators of realms of disparate contents with linear orders, contain levels of transparency, they infer something beyond, and then they reveal, Edges – Experience of distinct presences, co-presences effecting outward as well as inward phenomena and events, Thresholds – Anticipate what lies on the other side and the point at which a transcendent experience is produced and disenclosed, Borders – Delimit, define, demarcate and enclose distinguishing one place from another, a verge describable in geometric terms, aporetic (without openings) and Boundaries – Mutable edges that are directly perceptible, inherently indeterminant, amorphic, enclosing, porous, amorphic (without form), grounding and open.

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CHARGED PLACES A charged place is one that contains an energy or presence whether it is a natural, social, cultural, historic, symbolic or physical energy. This energy can be sensed and felt, and some places are more charged than others. This may occur because of the profound historic or cultural meaning tied in the place, the dramatic features of a natural site, or the quality of the architecture. The veil, while not physical, occurs in the moment that the thin place feels charged, the senses are awakened, the moment is synchronized and the presence of Other seems revealed. Physical, emotional and cognitive changes can occur. The exteriority qualities of the place have an interiority personal effect and contained in the experience an intuitive divination. Charged places can also be related to invisible energetic qualities of the Earth, also known as electromagnetic radiation. Oncologist, Ernst Hartmann, observed the gridded network approximately 7–8 feet (2–2.5 m) apart and observed that there were effects on human health at night and at the grid’s crossings.49 As frequencies differ along the network, there are different interactions with the human body. Curry gridlines, Ley lines and underground water streams also are sources of natural ground charging. Power spots and geopathic stress zones can be found among these energy patterns according to researchers.50 Further, when experiencing the positive spots of a place there is an increase of physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Charged places can occur with built works or architecture and urban design. Take for example the national September 11 Memorial and Museum in 1993 and 2001 is a memorial to the thousands of Americans died in attacks and conveys narratives of personal stories of loss, recovery and hope. The twin waterfall pools surrounded by bronze parapets with the names of the victims sit in the footprints of the twin North and South Towers. They are the same size and in the same place as the original towers. Water drops 20 feet into the pool and then disappears into smaller voids. The tranquil falling water feeding the two pools becomes completely black and they appear bottomless. And, according to Michael Arad, this represents “absence made visible.”51 Together, the history and memory of this event along with the design contribute to the charged experience. Belden Lane would argue that thin places “choose” to invite the connection to “other.”52 It is not we who choose. However, the state of mind and susceptibility, and the quality of the place-defining characteristics can affect the possibility and intensity of the connection. There has been research into the intensity factors affecting the connections to spiritual and awe experiences. Factors included altered perception, loss of self-awareness or self-diminishment, feelings of connectedness, physiological sensations and vastness within two distinct emotion clusters of awe, wonder and astonishment, and serene, content and peaceful.53 The research of Rudolf Otto, Mircea Eliade, William James, Michel Foucault, Michael Brill, Peirce F. Lewis, Yi-Fu Tuan, Edward T. Casey and Edward Soja relates to thin places and contemporary architecture and planning. Experience of a thin place seems to have a presence or to carry a certain charge with kinetic energy. To architect Michael Brill and his students at the State University of New York in Buffalo, these charged places do not repel the profane,

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◼ THIN PLACES 1.6 Charged place characteristics: (a) initial and progressed experiences, (b) the Matterhorn in Switzerland, (c) Dancing House, Prague

but rather permeate it. Participants seek personal responses to charged places that embody species-wide commonalities with opportunities for implicit applications to architecture.54 This brings up important questions, what is the point when an ordinary place becomes charged, and how do place-defining patterns contribute to charging? See Figure 1.6a for a listing of thin place and charged characteristics. Michael Brill explains in experiencing immensely charged places, that they trigger very powerful feelings, and that when other total strangers are, too in these places, the responses are much the same creating a sudden and strong bond among them. Brill goes on to suggest that the experiences of charged places derive from universal and trans-cultural commonalities about place. Charged places carry, reveal and have a narrative capacity. The charge comes from either a species-wide, cultural or personal resonance from the place and from within. The listing of thin place and charged characteristics in Figure 1.6a gives insights to the phenomena of a thin place experience from the initial engagement to the progressed experience. They suggest responses of nearness, presence, sensory unity, changing time awareness and a sense of something sacred, divine or “Otherly.” Further, physical, emotional and cognitive shifts are present and in need of accommodation. Michael Brill might add that there is an ancient feeling from

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within, an awareness of a mythic narrative and a connection to the archetype of the first place.55 The images of the Matterhorn in Switzerland and the Dancing House in Prague are contrasting, spectacular and awe-inspiring places. The Matterhorn characterizes vertical vastness, strength and exhilaration. It is majestic! While the Dancing Building is unusual and fascinating, it doesn’t conform to normal expressions or conceptions of architectural design. It provokes curiosity and bewilderment. And the numinous expresses with wonder, apprehension, surprise, amazement and even uncertainty. Figure 1.6b shows a natural thin place with the Matterhorn in Switzerland with its dramatic vertical form, knife-edge ridges, snowy cliffs and the vast sky above it. And Figure 1.6c shows a very unusual building, “Dancing House,” designed by architect Frank Gehry at the corner of a street in Prague. Its form defies normal perception of a building as it seems to move and dance creating a sense of surprise, the unexpected and wonder. Charged places are thin places that are near, stirring, vast or serene, carriers of narratives, on the verge of transformation and they resonate. Figure 1.7 shows a source of white light streaming into the image as an elicitor of a numinous experience. It is a symbol of hope, good news, safety and joy. Following is not an exclusive list, but identifies 18 characteristics describing the subjective experiences of charged places56: One, charged places are extremely personal and move from deep within. Two, often accompanied by visceral feelings, goosebumps, breathtaking and chills. Three, elicit feelings that are intensely real, involving all the senses. Four, charged places create an ancient stirring within us, an original feeling. Five, charged places carriers of myth, cosmic narratives and models of place. Six, charged places possess universal and transcultural terrestrial patterns that routinely accompanied such places. Seven, charged places not only reduce a sense of self, but also increase self-transcendence of self. Eight, there is a vastness and sense of interconnectedness with nature, others and systemic presence with the fabric of a place or of the universe as a whole. 1.7 White light as emanating from “the other”

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◼ THIN PLACES Nine, charged places appear to have an “Otherly” presence. Ten, there is a resonance between person and place, and enhanced prosocial and pro-environmental behaviors. Eleven, there is a paucity of time that seems to slow down and stand still. Twelve, a temporal moment seems to stretch and last longer. Thirteen, charged places can initiate an emotional response or “core affect “between valiance and arousal continuums. Fourteen, they are places that transmit a charge or divine energy. Fifteen, awe experiences perceived as vastness both physical and conceptual. Sixteen, serene experiences create silent, calm and inner peacefulness. Seventeen, charged places elicit need for accommodation in changes to existing emotional and mental schemas to process and integrate the experience, including the need for cognitive closure. Eighteen, charged places help to change scale and proportion through perception centripetal and centrifugal movement.

“THE WHOLLY OTHER” It is difficult to establish a definition of a thin place without addressing the idea of the “Wholly Other,” or “the Other.” The term “Holy” generally means divine power where “Wholly” suggests the full or the entire extent of sacredness. The term “Other” derives from Old English oper, meaning a different person or thing detached from the one viewing. In the context of thin places, this suggests a participant’s experience of an extraordinary elicitor or divine presence. Originally discussed by Rudolf Otto in “The Idea of the Holy,” the non-rational, incorporeal and an ineffable core of religious experience is the experience of the sacred that cannot be described in terms of other experiences.57 To John Harvey, Rudolf Otto’s the concept of “holy,” conveys that its common meaning is not only completely good or the consummation of moral goodness, but also containing the numinous.58 Spiritual energy is the supernatural experienced in the natural world. Religious conceptions of the Other vary greatly. In Christian theology, Wholly Other is referred to as the difference between God and everything else that is Holy, as God is completely different than all other things that exist. In Judaism, the concept of God is seen as both transcendent or wholly independent of the material universe, and immanent or involved in the material world. Buddhism sees a world that is connected, coherent and whole, and that the void or empty space is eternal “Other.” In Hinduism, the Wholly Other is pluralistic in nature, and is believed to be an eternal force and found everywhere in nature. In Islam, the God is theocentric, transcendent, majestic and an absolute Oneness.57 These religious traditions share the concept of transcendence but differ with concepts of incarnation and immanence. In early Greek philosophy, “the Wholly Other” was considered that which was immeasurable, and the use of sacred geometry helped transcend corporeal materiality.58 The numinous qualities of the dimensions of things suggested that “breadth,” from the Greek Platos, meant great extent, “length,” from Mekos,

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meant foreshowing greatness, “depth,” from Bathos, meant hidden above human scrutiny, and “height,” from Hypsos, meant a metaphor for heaven. These measures began to create a transcendent quality and volumetric picture common to thin places.59 This suggests that quantitative measures can elicit qualitative experiences. The Wholly Other is considered the source, having immeasurable, ineffable and sacred qualities that exists at the heart of thin place design and the architecture of the numinous. The quest for the “Other” is intrinsic to human nature as it is the quest for meaning, understanding of the unknown and for the purpose of our existence.

SUMMARY In a world where reductionist science, powerful far-reaching technologies and irresistible consumerism dominate, the common demonolater is secularity in everyday experiences. Life as we know it seems resolutely secular, nonspiritual and materialistic. So, it is not surprising to see a renewed interest in experiencing aliveness, vitality and the numinous. Thin places fulfill a variety of functions and frame these numerous emotional responses. The outcomes from these emotional responses also vary from inner personal insights to accelerating transformative moments. Aside from generally being places of excitement and/or repose, they are enjoyable places to experience. Thin places manifest in beautiful natural as well as within ordinary settings. Benefits occur in the areas of personal growth, health and wellness, prosocial outcomes with increases in generosity, helpfulness and compassion, and sensitivity of an environmental awareness supporting preservation, stewardship and biophilic principles. Thin place experiences help us to be more tolerant, less afraid of uncertainty, assists to rescale ourselves and circumstances, and contribute to both health and wellness. At the heart of thin places are the emotional responses they create and support. The thin place characteristics and the thinning veil in particular offer opportunities for deeper connections to natural places of beauty and grandeur, the sacred, divine and the spiritual presence, thus pulling us out of our mundane preoccupations. The next chapter addresses the various numinous experiences, including awe and serene emotions and spiritual experiences.60,61 Why isn’t the whole world thin? Maybe it is, but we are too thick to recognize it. Maybe thin places offer glimpses not of heaven but of earth as it really is, unencumbered. Unmasked.62

NOTES 1. Brill, Michael, Using Place-Creation Myth to Develop Design Guidelines for Scared Space, Self-published, September 25, 1985. 2. Allen, Summer, The Science of Awe (Accessed October 20, 2021) https://ggsc.berkeley. edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Awe_FINAL.pdf 3. Darwin, Charles, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2009).

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◼ THIN PLACES 4. Lane, Belden, Landscapes of the Sacred: Geography and Narrative in American Spirituality (Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1988), p. 19. 5. Lawlor, Robert, Sacred Geometry: Philosophy and Practice (London, UK: Thames and Hudson, 1982), p. 8. 6. Tabb, Phillip, Serene Urbanism: A Biophilic Theory and Practice of Sustainable Placemaking (London, UK: Routledge, 2015), p. 63. 7. Burgoyne, Mindie (Accessed November 24, 2017) http://thinplacestour.com/ about-mindie-burgoyne/ 8. Godwin, Malcolm, Angels: An Endangered Species (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1990). 9. Minchin, Rod, Thousands Attend Summer Solstice at Stonehenge (Accessed July 21, 2022) https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/stonehenge-wiltshire-wiltshire-police-­ summer-solstice-people-b1007343.html 10. Rohr, Richard (Accessed September 5, 2021) https://cac.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/4ON-THE-EDGE-OF-THE-INSIDE.pdf 11. Devereux, Paul, Places of Power: Secret Energies at Ancient Sites: A Guide to Observed or Measured Phenomena, pp. 142–144. 12. Ferguson, Julie, The Holy Isle of Iona: A Historical Pilgrimage (Accessed December 10, 2021) https://europeupclose.com/article/the-holy-isle-of-iona-a-historical-pilgrimage/ 13. Kirkpatrick, David Paul, David Paul Kirkpatrick’s Living in the Metaverse (Accessed December 19, 2021) https://www.davidpaulkirkpatrick.com/2015/09/25/iona-the-thin-place/ 14. Kock, Kevin, Thin Places: A Celtic Landscape from Ireland to Driftless (Eugene, OR: Resources Publications, 2018), pp. 7–8. 15. O’Donoghue, John, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom (New York, NY: Harper Perennial, 1997). 16. Ibid. 17. Tempan, Paul, Irish Mountains, their Names and their Significance in Irish and Celtic Culture (Accessed June 14, 2022) https://www.academia.edu/1656982/ Irish_Mountains_their_Names_and_their_Significance_in_Irish_and_Celtic_Culture 18. Tabb, Phillip, 2022 Ireland Journal, Self-published. 19. Ireland World Heritage, Newgrange (Accessed July 6, 2022) https://www.worldheritageireland.ie/bru-na-boinne/built-heritage/newgrange/ 20. Highfill, C. Page, Thin Places: and Five Clues in Their Architecture (Richmond, VA: EnterPaths Publisher, 2009), p. 15. 21. Yaden, Kaufman, Hyde, Chirico, Gaggioli Zhang and Keltner, The Development of the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S): A Multifactorial Measure for a Complex Emotion (Accessed October 4, 2021), pp. 10–11. 22. Ibid. 23. Edward O. Wilson, Biophilia (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1984). 24. Steele, John, Geomancy: Consciousness and Sacred Sites (New York, NY: Trigon Communications, 1985). 25. Zorn, Justin and Leigh Marz, Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise (New York, NY: Harper Collins, 2022), p. 85. 26. Piaget, Jean, Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development (Accessed October 4, 2021) https://www.massey.ac.nz/~wwpapajl/evolution/assign2/DD/theory.html 27. Yaden, Kaufman, Hyde, Chirico, Gaggioli Zhang and Keltner, The Development of the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S): A Multifactorial Measure for a Complex Emotion (Accessed October 4, 2021), pp. 10–11. 28. Rudd, Melanie and Kathleen Vohs, Awe Expands People’s Perception of Time and Enhances Well-Being (Accessed November 10, 2010) https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/ faculty-research/publications/awe-expands-peoples-perception-time-enhances-well-being 29. Allen, Summer, The Science of Awe (Accessed October 20, 2021) https://ggsc.berkeley. edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Awe_FINAL.pdf

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30. Sally, Wilcox, On Unity Experience: A Review (Accessed October 10, 2022) https://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/cejournal/vol3/iss3/4/ 31. Corbett, Lionel, The Sacred Cauldron: Psychotherapy as a Spiritual Practice (Ashville, NC: Chiron Publications, 2015), p. 59. 32. Foucault, Michel, The Order of Things (New York, NY: Vintage Books, 1970), pp. xv–xxiv. 33. Soja, Edward William, Thirdspace: Journeys to Los Angeles and Other Real-and-Imagined Places (Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 1996). 34. Bedard, Jean-Paul, Touching the Veil of Thin Places, Huffington Post, February 2, 2016 (Accessed November 6, 2017) https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeanpaul-bedard/touchingthe-veil-of-thin_b_6256592.html 35. Ann Casement and David Tacey, Editors, The Idea of the Numinous: Contemporary Jungian and Psychoanalytic Perspectives (London, UK: Routledge, 2006), pp. 53–54. And William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience (Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing, 1902), pp. 288–290. 36. Casey, Edward S., World on Edge (Bloomington, ID: University of Indiana Press, 2017). 37. Norberg-Schulz, Christian, Genesis Loci: Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture (New York, NY: Rizzoli, 1980). 38. Weiner, Eric, Where Heaven and Earth Come Closer (Accessed February 3, 2021) https:// www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/travel/thin-places-where-we-are-jolted-out-of-old-ways-ofseeing-the-world.html 39. Edward O. Wilson, Biophilia (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1984). 40. Steele, John, Geomancy: Consciousness and Sacred Sites (New York, NY: Trigon Communications, 1985). 41. Corbett, Lionel, The Sacred Cauldron: Psychotherapy as a Spiritual Practice (Ashville, NC: Chiron Publications, 2015), p. 63. 42. Arthur E. Stamps, III, Effects of Area, Height, Elongation, and Color on Perceived Spaciousness, Environment and Behavior, 43(2), 2011, 252. 43. Wilhelm, Hellmut, The I-Ching or Book of Changes (New York, NY: Bollinger Foundation, 1950). 44. Corbett, Lionel, The Sacred Cauldron: Psychotherapy as a Spiritual Practice (Ashville, NC: Chiron Publications, 2015), p. xi. 45. Meder, Amanda Linette, When and Where Is the Veil Thinnest? 2014 (Accessed June 28, 2022) https://www.amandalinettemeder.com/blog/when-and-where-isthe-veil-thin-the-best-times-and-locations-to-connect-with-spirit 46. Rohr, Richard (Accessed September 5, 2021) https://cac.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ 4-ON-THE-EDGE-OF-THE-INSIDE.pdf 47. Casey, Edward S., The World on Edge (Bloomington, ID: University of Indiana Press, 2017). 48. Ibid. 49. Hartmann, Ernst, Krankheit als Standortproble (Berlin, Germany: Karl F. Haug Verlag, 1967). 50. Elrafie, N.S., G.F. Hassan, A. S. Elrahman & M.A. Elfayoumi, Assessing the Effect of Electromagnetic Radiations on Human Beings in the Build Environment (Accessed April 5, 2023) https://www.jeasonline.org/paper/1016/preview 51. Arad, Michael (Accessed June 29, 2022) https://www.911memorial.org/visit/memorial/ about-memorial 52. Lane, Belden, Landscapes of the Sacred: Geography and Narrative in American Spirituality (Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1988), p. 19. 53. Keltner, Dacher, and Haidt, Jonathan (2003). Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition and Emotion, 17(2), 297–314 (Accessed October 4, 2021) https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930302297 54. Brill, Michael, The Origin of Charged and Mythic Landscapes: A Speculation (Self-published May 16, 1991). 55. Ibid.

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◼ THIN PLACES 56. The 18 subjective experiences of charged places is a compilation from several sources including Michael Brill, Belden Lane, Kay Roberts, Dasher Keltner, and Summer Allen. 57. Otto, Rudolf, The Idea of the Holy (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 1958) 58. Harvey, John, The Idea of the Holy: An Inquiry into the Non-rational Factor in the Idea of the Divine and Its Relation to the Rational (Accessed November 10, 2022) http://faculty. trinity.edu/mbrown/whatisreligion/PDF%20readings/Otto-Idea%20of%20the%20Holy. pdf, p. 5. 59. Ali Shah, Zulfiqar, Anthropomorphic Depictions of God: The Concept of God in Judaic Christian and Islamic Traditions (Accessed November 12, 2022) https://iiit.org/wp-content/ uploads/2018/07/books-inbrief_anthropomorphic_depictions_of_god_the_concept_of_ god-1.pdf 60. Lee, Desmond, Plato, Timaeus and Critias (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, UK: Penguin Books, 1971). 61. Lynn, The Vast Immeasurable Dimensions of God’s Love (Accessed November 10, 2022) https://www.tickledpinklife.com/2014/01/the-vast-immeasurable-dimensions-of-gods-love/ 62. Weiner, Eric, Where Heaven and Earth Come Closer (Accessed February 3, 2021) https:// www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/travel/thin-places-where-we-are-jolted-out-of-old-ways-ofseeing-the-world.html

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2  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES Responses of Awe and Serene Emotions

EMOTIONAL RESPONSES TO THIN PLACES Thin places are defined as thresholds where ordinary and magical experiences are especially close to one another, and where the profane or secular and the sacred or ineffable can more easily be connected. Beautiful and exhilarating landscapes, extraordinary architecture, and soulful and aspirational urban spaces function in this way. Thin places are not exclusively limited to religious buildings but are applicable to a wide range of building types, sizes and urban settings. The importance of thin place research and exemplifications in the design fields includes such outcomes as health and wellness, sustainability, environmental and favorable placemaking. There are even economic benefits to thin places. The scholarly work of Edward Casey, and investigatory work of Michael Brill and his students is related to place theory and charged places, the research of Robert Plutchik and Barbara Fredrickson is related to human emotion theory, the research of Dasher Keltner, Jonathan Haidt, Summer Allen, Beau Lotto, and Michael van Elk is related to awe theory and science, and the research of Kay Roberts, Cheryl Aspy and Teresa Messenger is related to serenity theory, all of which are central to understanding thin places. The principal effect of a thin place experience is an emotional response, especially numinous, awe, serene and spiritual experiences. Therefore, central to thin places are the emotional responses they elicit or support in facilitating these kinds of experiences. The term emotion derives from the French “emouvior,” which means “to stir up.” Emotions are neurophysiological states that are defined as subjectively experienced feelings usually elicited by a source that creates behavioral and physiological changes (partly mental and partly physical). Emotionality is associated with temperament, personality, mood and motivation; and according to David Meyers, involves physiological arousal, expressive behaviors and conscious experience.1 Emotions can be positive or negative producing different physiological, behavioral and cognitive changes. In the context of this work, emotions are feelings created by the experience of a natural scene, such as glorious sunsets, beauty in the natural world and celestial phenomena, and/or an extraordinary building or urban place, such as Taj Mahal in India, St. Basil’s Cathedral in Russia or even the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

DOI: 10.4324/9781003354888-2

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES HUMAN EMOTIONS Human emotions are at the heart of thin place experiences. There are many human emotions encompassing an enormous range, and there are many emotion classifications. The number of basic emotions varies depending upon the emotion theory. Basic emotions are those considered to be distinct, associated with nonverbal expressions, subjective experiences and neural and physiological responses. Carol Izard states that human emotions are both momentary and situational.2 Contemporary emotion theories and classifications have evolved over the last century where multiple clusters of emotions have been identified. Typical among those clusters are oppositional emotions related to fight or flight, reward or punishment, and active or passive.3 According to Paul Ekman, the most common set of basic emotions include happiness, sadness, fear, surprise, anger and disgust.4 Many researchers have proposed emotion wheels comprising differing numbers and sets of emotions. Psychologist Robert Plutchik in 1962 proposed eight primary emotions: anger, fear, sadness, disgust, surprise, anticipation, trust and joy.5 Emotions associated with thin place experiences seem to follow similar lines from cosmic, vast and extraordinary to intimate, serene and personal. When describing transcendent experiences related to thin places, it is important to include the more intimate emotions – serenity, peacefulness and contentment for everyday experiences, in addition to the vast emotions – awe, wonder and astonishment for significant architecture, civic spaces and sacred cities. Plutchik considered that there were eight primary or innate emotions based on evolutionary theory with high survival value adding anticipation and truth to the list. Therefore, among his posits on emotion categories are the following6: • • • • • •

Emotions serve an adaptive role in survival issues. There are prototype patterns in the expression of emotions. There is a small number of primary emotions. Other emotions are combinations or mixtures of the primary emotions. There are polar opposites to the primary emotions. Each emotion can vary in intensity or level of arousal.

In a study published in Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers identified 27 different categories of emotion.7 Emotion wheels are a circular diagram indicating different emotions created to clarify, group and organize specific emotions. The Plutchik emotion wheel pictured in Figure 2.1 was developed in 1980 and is considered one of the most popular illustrating 32 emotions. Awe is positioned between surprise and fear and opposite is serenity positioned between optimism and love. Awe is an emotional response to perceptually vast stimuli that transcend current frames of reference. According to Summer Allen, awe experiences are selftranscendent. They shift our attention away from ourselves, make us feel like we are part of something greater than ourselves and make us more generous toward others. Emotions, particularly those related to awe, produce peripheral affects that vary in range.8 They can either be positive or negative as evidenced by the two

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2.1 Human emotion wheel

awe-related terms of “awesome” or “awful.” All vast landscapes and buildings do not necessarily elicit awe, as an awe experience needs something extraordinary in addition to mere vastness, such as color, light, contrast, movement, beauty, mystery, or something symbolic and functional. Vastness reaches inward, upward and outward as in Charles Eames’ “Power of Ten.” According to Keltner and Haidt in their 2003 seminal paper, awe emotions create experiences that can be characterized by two phenomena: “perceived vastness” and a “need for accommodation.”9 Perceived vastness suggests coming from something physically large, such as the Northern Lights, the Grand Canyon, the Pacific Ocean, Mount Everest or the Burj Khalifa Skyscraper in Dubai. Vastness also includes being in the presence of someone with immense spiritual, political, athletic, scientific or artistic prestige, such as the late Queen Elizabeth, II, the Holiness Dalai Lama, Elon Musk or Cristiano Ronaldo. And finally, vastness includes the perception of a complex idea, scientific breakthrough or theoretical posit. The need for accommodation occurs when an awe experience arouses emotional transcendence, creates strong physical sensations and goes beyond our normal expectations. Consequently, a readjustment seems to be needed requiring a shift in our mental structure, our understanding of the world and our need for cognitive closure. Several feelings commonly accompany an awe experience.

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES They include experiences of the “small self,” feelings of humility, decreased materialism, changing time perception, feeling of connectedness, positive mood, well-being and improved life satisfaction. It is the human emotional responses to physical places whether they are natural or built, that thin places is investigated. EMOTION RESEARCH Thin places create a number of numinous experiences in which awe is an important emotion. Numinous, awe, serene and religious experiences have a long history including works of Immanuel Kant, Charles Darwin, Rudolf Otto, William James and Abraham Maslow to name a few. The numinous is understood to be a fascinating and mysterious experience of spirit, to include awe-inspired fear, and to connect the majestic which is “entirely other.” Awe, as a more contemporary conception of a sacred experience, deemphasizes the importance of fear, in favor of ineffable wonder, positive emotional valances and more profound transformations.10 The field of positive psychology, which includes research into the awe emotion, is only about 20 years old.11 According to Barbara Fredrickson, there are the top ten positive emotions that include amusement, awe, gratitude, hope, inspiration, interest, joy, love and serenity.12 Their research identified three clusters containing these ten positive emotions: encouragement, playfulness and harmony. From a physical design point of view, this work focuses on the somewhat opposite positive emotions found within these clusters of awe and serenity that typically occur as a thin place experience. Awe is defined as an emotional response to perceptually vast stimuli that transcends current frames of reference. This includes dramatic environments, charismatic figures, extraordinary concepts or ideas, and music and art. Research into the awe experience gives informed definitions of awe, characteristics of the experience, both positive and negative feelings of awe, identification of primary awe elicitors, emotions associated with awe, the need for accommodation and perceived vastness, classification of emotion clusters and the development of an awe experience scale.13 While awe is both a negative and positive experience, it is the positive emotional responses that are most appropriate for thin places, especially as they inform architecture and urban design. The physical sensations and physiological arousals often occur with awe experiences and include a variety of responses. They typically are shots of energy, increased heart rate, goose bumps, chills, tingling, shuddering, breathlessness and visible inhalation, momentary freezing of mobility, feeling of suspension, and awestruck facial expressions (like raised eyebrows, widened eyes and dropped jaw). Serene emotions elicit physiological relaxation responses of lower heart rate and slower and deeper breathing in sync with one another, relaxation of muscles and a state of deep rest. Accommodation is necessary for both emotions and is defined as the process of adjusting or making sense out of preexisting mental structures that were unable to assimilate the emotional experiences. The triggers of awe include natural scenery, great skill, encounter with God, great virtue, buildings or monuments, powerful leader, grand theory, music, art and epiphany. The triggers most related to thin places include natural scenery, buildings or monuments,

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great skill particularly related to building craftsmanship, and art. Common triggers or elicitors are as follows: • • • • • • • •

Natural environment – vast, profound beauty, colorful and exquisite natural settings Architectural monuments – great buildings of beauty, purpose or historic importance Esteemed leader – powerful spiritual, political, scientific leaders or artists Grand theory or idea – profound concept, discovery or seminal idea Religious experiences – arising upon sensing the presence of something holy, or divine Artistic performance – moving music, theatrical or dance performances Visual art – moving feelings from sculpture, painting, virtual and cinematic expressions Other – including childbirth, weddings, funerals or other intense experiences

Serenity is a positive human emotion reflecting a sustained state of inner peace. Synonyms for serenity may include inner peacefulness, peace of mind, tranquility, contentment, equanimity and eudaimonic well-being or the self-­actualization of meaningful purpose in one’s life. It is a spiritual concept that decreases perceived stress, depression and anxiety, and improves physical, cognitive and emotional health. Understanding of factors related to serenity and inner peace are likely to address the underlying causes of anxiety, depression and dissatisfaction with life. Serenity research has relatively recently emerged adding new concepts as a meaningful nursing practice. Serenity emotion is a thought–action tendency and the urge to savor the moment. It helps to notice and appreciate what is good about the current situation. We are then able to integrate this into new values and priorities resulting in a more refined sense of self. Unlike the emotions of joy and contentment, serenity is not dependent upon external events. It also is being defined as a spiritual experience and transcends formal religious beliefs.14 Blue zones are the demographic work of Dan Buettner where people live the longest, and are healthiest: places like Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece and Loma Linda, California. Like the wellness and longevity outcomes of Blue Zones, thin place experiences through normal everyday activities can be beneficial, as found with waking, family life, socializing, contact with nature, awareness of diurnal and seasonal changes, and quiet moments of reflection.15 Blue zones support healthy diets, connections to nature, community and prosocial behaviors, moderation in alcohol consumption and exercise in built into everyday life. Also, they suggest a heavy plant-based diet, no smoking, constant physical activity and connection to a purpose in life. While blue zones are about healthy lifestyle practices, the environments that support are also important and offer opportunities for thin place experiences. While much research has gone into emotion theory and there has been identification of many human emotions, the emotion clusters in Figure 2.2 illustrate those that are associated with thin places that foster awe and serene emotions. The six-factor emotion scale developed by Yaden, Kaufman, Hyde, Chirico, Gaggioli,

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES 2.2 Vast and intimate emotion clusters

Zhang and Keltner identifies clusters of vast and intimate elicitors that inform two quite different thin places characteristics and subsequent emotional responses16: VAST ELICITORS (Extraordinary Vast Numinous) • Awe emotion – an experience that is perceived to be vast and challenges our understanding of the world, requiring cognitive adjustment • Wonder emotion – perceiving something rare, inextricable, unfamiliar or unexpected, full of surprise, but not threatening • Astonishment emotion – feeling of great surprise, disbelief and overwhelming amazement • Fear emotion – feeling of apprehension, anxiety, unease, threat, awe-struck and even primitive related to the unknown INTIMATE ELICITORS (Quiet Serene Numinous) • Serene emotion – feeling undisturbed, calm, tranquility, comfortable present, deep silence and still with a deepening understanding of self • Contentment emotion – feeling satisfied, present, intact and at ease with an unconditional wholeness and increase positive mood • Peaceful emotion – feeling of quietude, tranquility, harmony and being safe • Joy emotion – feeling of inspired and deep-rooted happiness, and optimism Varying scales, spatial characteristics, contexts and design elements contribute to the facilitation of the different emotion clusters. The distinction between these two emotion clusters is important for the design of thin places as landscapes, buildings or urban places. Thin place experiences can occur within an intimate forest setting and a sanctuary retreat, or a vast desert landscape and extraordinary cathedral. As can be seen, the emotional responses are positive, and between the extraordinary awe and quiet serene experiences, they are very different. Further they elicit different outcomes from arousal and astonishment to tranquility and calm. Dispositional cluster (DPES) reflects the individual differences in the tendency to experience a number of positive emotions while the modified differential cluster (mDES) reflects the degree different emotions are felt.17 The photograph in Figure 2.3 shows both an awe-inspiring vast image of the ocean, horizon and sunset, and at the same time shows an intimate social gathering next to the surf.

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2.3 Seaside sunset and intimate gathering at the beach

NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES The numinous is defined as arousing spiritual or religious emotion. The term derives from the Latin numen, meaning “a nod of the head,” now associated with arousing spiritual, transcendent or mysterious emotion.18 It was brought into contemporary theory by Rudolf Otto in 1917 where he characterized these emotional responses as elicited by fascination (potent charm), mystery (astonishing wonder) and/or terror (overwhelming power). Otto also presented the concept of the “holy Other,” explaining, “but the fact the ‘void’ of eastern, like the ‘nothing’ of the western, mystic is a numinous ideogram of the ‘wholly Other’.” Otto goes on to say that the unique “wholly Other” reality and quality are “something of whose special character we can feel, without being able to give it clear conceptual expression.”19 Otto divided the numinous experience into three interrelated qualities: the fascinating (fascinans) and exuberance, the mysterious (mysterium) that which is hidden from view or knowledge, and the awe-ful (tremendum) that which is fear-inspiring. These are all qualities of experience that come from the elements, particularly with ether. Where numinous experiences comprise a complex range of emotions, such as inspiration, mystery, fascination, wonder, vitality, sweet-tranquility and even terror, they also suggest the presence of something other or divine. Terror can also suggest an instinctual high alertness. Two particular emotions are closely related to numinous experiences, and they are awe and serene emotions. The numinous is that which is experienced as transcendence. The mystery of the numinous can be expressed in two dimensions or poles. These are distinct with differing feeling content producing psychologically powerful and spiritually profound moments: mystery that confronts and mystery that invites. These poles give rise to the two different emotional clusters previously discussed. According to Robert Spitzer, these opposites are20: •

Mysterium tremendum – a sense of something mysterious, amazing, boundless mystical wonder, entrancing, often eliciting an overwhelming sense of diminution and humility and awe emotional responses especially in the presence of a spiritual power and utter vastness

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES •

Mysterium fascinans – a sense of something fascinating, desirable, good, caring, enchanting and comforting as it attracts, allures, captivates, contains reassurance, joy and grace, and elicits serene emotional responses especially with intimate, beautiful scenes of nature or of home

Lionel Corbett suggests that numinous experiences can occur in nature, dreams, in the body and in psychedelic events.21 According to Murray Stein, the psychological explanation for numinous experiences and the unconscious contents are found in the physical objects, rituals or sounds as phenomenal projections.22 The objects include landscapes as well as thin places. Stein further suggests that such experiences link the conscious with the unconscious or unknown. For the purpose of this work, numinous experiences encompass the emotion clusters that are most experienced with thin places, especially awe and serene emotions. They also include spiritual and religious experiences and psychedelic wellness experiences. AWE EMOTIONS Thin places create a number of numinous experiences in which awe is an important emotion. Numinous, awe and religious experiences have a long history including works of Immanuel Kant, Charles Darwin, Rudolf Otto, William James and Abraham Maslow. The numinous is understood to be a fascinating and mysterious experience of spirit, to include awe-inspired fear, and to connect the majestic which is “entirely Other.” Awe, in its more contemporary conception of a sacred experience, deemphasizes the importance of fear, in favor of ineffable wonder and fascination, and positive emotional valances and transformations. The field of positive psychology, which includes research into the awe emotion, is only about 20 years old. According to Keltner and Heidt, awe is defined as an emotional response to perceptually vast stimuli that transcends current frames of reference, and the need for accommodation.23 Further, awe is a feeling of being in the presence of something vast that is physical, temporal or semantic.24 This includes dramatic environments, charismatic figures, extraordinary concepts or ideas, and transformative music and art. Research into the awe experience gives informed definitions of awe along with the characteristics of the experience. This includes both positive and negative feelings of awe, identification of primary awe elicitors, emotions associated with awe, the need for accommodation and perceived vastness, classification of emotion clusters, and the development of an awe experience scale.25 While awe is both a negative and positive experience, it is the positive emotional responses that are most appropriate for thin places, especially as they inform architecture and urban design. In a 2018 publication of research by Yaden, Kaufman, Hyde, Chirico, Gaggioli, Zhang and Keltner, a six-factor scale of measuring awe emotion was developed.26 The six-factor scale included time, self-loss, connectedness, vastness, physiological (physical sensations) and accommodation. Time perception in awe experiences for some slows down and for others time is expanded. Self-diminishment is the reduction of salient aspect of self, such as one’s own body or its size relative to the thin

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place. Connectedness refers to feelings of other people and environments beyond the self, such as feeling part of a community, particular place or other. Perceptual vastness is beyond measure that is much larger than the self and things that one does not fully understand. An awe stimulus challenges one’s accustomed frame of reference in some dimension. “Differential” factors reflect high arousal emotional responses, such as awe, wonder, astonishment and fear. “Dispositional” factors reflect low arousal individual differences to numinous experiences and the tendency to experience different positive emotions, such as serenity, joy, contentment and compassion. The full complement of triggers of awe include natural scenery, great skill, encounter with God, great virtue, extraordinary buildings or monuments, powerful leaders, grand theory, moving music and art, and epiphany experiences. The triggers most related to thin places include natural scenery, buildings or monuments, great skill particularly related to building craftsmanship and art. These triggers or elicitors include natural scenery such as national parks, an encounter with spirit, extraordinary buildings such as the Taj Mahal, the Great Pyramids, the Acropolis or Chartres Cathedral, places of memory such as cemeteries and memorials, battle sites or places that are compellingly serene like parks, gardens or holy wells, sites that are highly religious or mystical and sites for night sky watching. In 2018, Summer Allen published an article “The Science of Awe.”27 Allen defined awe and described the types of awe elicitors, the need for accommodation and the experience of vastness, the effects of awe, the proximate emotions of awe, and what she called the “flavors” of awe. Summer explained that awe elicitors were identified as nature-based, threat-based, spiritual or religious, music and art, and the overview effect of vastness. The proposed flavors of awe were threat, beauty, ability, virtue and supernatural causality. Prosocial outcomes of awe experiences showed increases in generosity, helpfulness, compassion and enhanced collective concerns. They also included concerns for the rights, feelings and welfare of other people. The concept of pro-environmentalism was particularly important to the design professions as a self-environmental relationship supporting preservation, stewardship, potential health benefits, place identity, environmental quality, biospheric values and contemporaneously awareness of causes of climate change derived from such experiences. Pro-environmental behaviors related to value-belief-norm theory, which suggested that the environment has value, may be endangered and were worth preserving.28 Many thin places reflected biophilic principles having strong connections to nature, thereby reinforcing pro-environmental behaviors. Awe flavors or awe experience features produce a range of experiences that are theoretical rather than experimentally validated categories. They include threat, beauty, ability, virtue and the supernatural causality. They do provide a broad view of the elicitors of an awe experience beyond those associated with the physical environment. According to the study of the development of an awe experience scale, there were six descriptive categories: the effects of changes in time perception, loss of self-awareness, sense of connectedness, experience of vastness, physiological and cognitive responses. Silence often accompanies an awe experience

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES where emotional and cognitive re-adjustments can more readily be made. Keltner and Haidt proposed explanation of the awe flavors as follows29: •

•

•

•

•

Threat-based awe – likely accompanied by fear; stimuli that may elicit threatbased awe include a charismatic leader like Hitler or an extreme weather event like an electrical storm. Beauty-based awe – flavored with “aesthetic pleasure” and may be elicited by a person, a natural scene (e.g., the Grand Canyon) or a work of art (e.g., Monet’s Water Lilies). Ability-based awe – thought to co-occur with admiration of a person’s “exceptional ability, talent, and skill.” Examples include seeing an especially talented musician or stellar athlete. Virtue-based awe – the awe one feels when in the presence of someone displaying virtue and strength of character – would likely be accompanied by feelings of elevation. An example of virtue-based awe might be reading about the lives of saints. Supernatural causality-based awe – as one might experience if they saw an angel, a ghost or a floating object – will be tinted with an “element of the uncanny,” which can be terrifying or glorious depending on the source.

Awe elicitors are triggers within thin places that derive from sources that vary greatly sparking differing physical, emotional, cognitive and spiritual responses. According to a study on the development of an awe experience scale, there were 11 triggers of the Differential (Situational) Emotion Scale (awe, wonder, inspiration and astonishment) arranged in descending order of general agreement that included natural scenery, other, great skill, encounter with God, great virtue, building or monument, powerful leader, grand theory or idea, music, art and finally epiphany.30 Thin places also support other emotions, such as dispositional awe, that include more passive or low-arousal responses (serene, content, reverence and peaceful). To Julie Schoenbauer, “when I have an experience of awe and wonder, I feel a cool peace inside, a calm serene presence.”31 The triggers vary from vast sky views of the Northern Lights to a microscopic view of a crystal or a flower petal to the magical doorway into natural thin places. Also, vastness can be either perceptual or conceptual.32 This image of a thin place portal is an extraordinary expression of a veil disintegrating into its immediate natural surroundings. SERENE EMOTIONS Serenity and its relationship to emotion theory, health and wellness and spirituality first appeared in the nursing literature in the mid-1960s when it was identified as an important outcome for terminally ill patients. It focused on persons facing emotional stress, physical illness and even death. Based on the nursing profession’s serenity evidence-based research, they were able to develop health intervention strategies. And where awe emotions were the experiences of perceived vastness and the need for accommodation, serene emotions were also important in understanding the healing and wellness outcomes of therapeutic places. Serenity is

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peaceful, tranquil, calm, even sedating and free from anxiety, and accommodation comes in the form of emotional readjustment. Affect is the experience of sensation, with feelings, rather than thoughts, coming first when encountering a serene place. With awe spaces, the elicitors are stimulating, even fearful, and diminish the self. Serenity is defined as sustained inner peace.33 Negative emotions (fear, disgust and aggressiveness) are considered necessary for survival, yet in the Positive Psychology framework, serenity is one of the ten positive emotions.34 In this regard, serene emotions are considered to be beneficial and stress relieving, and a welcomed outcome of thin places. According to Barbara Fredrickson, positive emotions increase cognitive flexibility, openness and create a reservoir of resilience, and on everyday occurrences, they support a healthier cardiovascular system.35 Even momentary connections to serenity contribute to these positive health effects. A partial listing of principal spatial triggers or elicitors for thin places include natural scenery, an encounter with spirit, extraordinary buildings such as the Taj Mahal, the Great Pyramids or Chartres Cathedral, places of memory such as cemeteries, battle sites or the Acropolis, places that are compellingly serene like gardens, sites that are highly religious or mystical, and sites for night sky watching. This also includes places that are considered soulful. And further, Barbara Fredrickson views the role of awe as requiring “high intensity” stimuli to elicit this emotion such as “vastness” or “being moved,” and awe is not a classically daily life emotion, being normally experienced.36 Experiences of serenity may include inner peacefulness, peace of mind, tranquility, contentment and equanimity. The positive benefits of serenity include appreciation of the moment, formulating a more refined sense of self, strong sense of groundedness, and the sense of congruence and gratitude. And according to Tchiki Davis, “contentment arises in safe situations with a high degree of certainty and a low degree of effort. Some people suggest that contentment leads us to savor our circumstances and experience a sense of ‘oneness’ with the world.”37 The contextual and spatial characteristics of serene environments contribute to creating an inner haven and include elimination of peril and crowdedness and providing proper distancing (safe and secure places), including benevolent environmental features, using of restorative patterns, gentle and qualitative use of light, balance and including elemental features (fire, water, earth and air), and importantly, quiet. Serenity emotions can be elicited through the inclusion of biophilic design principles which reinforce the above positive emotions and characteristics. According to research on a serenity scale by Mary Jo Kreitzer et al., “Serenity is an aspect of spiritual health and well-being that may be improved despite disease progression.”38 Refer to Figure 2.4 illustrating calm waters, tall grasses along the edge of a pond. The serenity scale is an analysis of the measure of spirituality and well-being relative to acceptance, inner haven and trust.39 It is predicated on the idea that serenity is related to peace of mind and an inner peace unaffected by external events or factors. This scale was initially developed by Kay Roberts and Cheryl Aspy, where they defined serenity as a sustained state of inner peace and spiritual well-being and its universality appeals to a large population of diverse persons. The scale is based on a conceptual framework of critical attributes for patients

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES 2.4 Calm waters along a pond’s edge

to better cope with harsh circumstances. Their development of a serenity scale involved nine factors: 1. Inner Haven – inner source awareness and strength, peace of mind, experience of inner quiet and calmness that is not dependent upon external events and feeling security and serenity, self-view and long-range perspective. 2. Acceptance – having perspective of self and life events, being present centered, having benevolence, forgiving oneself, accepting situations that cannot change, being able to let go and feeling serenity. 3. Belonging – a close and intimate affiliation or relationship, feeling connected and not feeling isolation or loneliness. 4. Trust – life events happen within a larger spiritual context, trust. In the life plan, seeing good in painful events, and trust that everything happens as it should. 5. Perspective – taking action to create change, and hindsight into the past, foresight into the future and insight into the present. 6. Contentment – free of excessive stress and worry about the future and what one cannot have, satisfaction with present material goods, and contentment with what is. 7. Present Centered – time orientation shifts from mainly past to the present and letting go of regret and anger. 8. Beneficence – the disposition for doing good, acts of kindness and good will, helping, sharing, forgiveness and a positive and mindful regard for others. 9. Cognitive Restructuring – as in awe emotions, there is the need for cognitive appraisal and emotional readjusting. And finally, the power of quiet and silence leading to clarity awaken creativity and a more peaceful way of being.40 It is a well-known fact that noise causes stress. According to Justin Zorn and Leigh Marz, deep silence, in particular, leads to clarity, renewal, humility and expansion. They suggest that this is a place of acceptance, letting go and of not knowing. As such, silence can re-set the nervous system and renew one’s perception of the world. In the deepest silence, “we find the inner freedom to transcend the strictures of the separate self.”41 And recent scientific research is supporting the relationship between inner peace (low-arousal positive mental states) and well-being where one can experience life happenings with great

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clarity.42 For serenity-oriented thin place experiences, silence is experienced beyond the veil. Places like memorials, cemeteries, places of worship and meditation, healing environments, mountaintops, a winter snowstorm and secluded meadows possess the quality of silence. Serene emotion can be seen in the land artwork of Rachel Garceau. This work, “embrace: release,” exemplifies both the natural and constructed veil of a thin places as seen in Figure 2.5. The trail leading to the artwork is not direct, but when you arrive close to it, you are aligned along a natural forested axis. The open gateway and portal gradually ascends to the surrounding forest canopy and sky above as if they are defying gravity. According to the artist, there seems to be an autonomous energy where the arched branches are in a luminous state around the opening. As in the similar work of Cornelia Konrads, there is not an apparent function or purpose to the passageway and the doorway is not familiar; it challenges cognition, which is familiar consequence of awe experiences.43 Yet, the opening revealing the space beyond it is mysterious and silent, and while the space in the doorway is clear, it forms a veil that is a ritual threshold and transgression. This suggests the transforming and dissolving of the awareness of the physical foreground into something 2.5 Thin place threshold “embrace: release”

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES mysterious and fascinating lying beyond it. Serenity has been described not only as a health and wellness dimension but also as a spiritual state. RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES Creation myths are the symbolic narratives of the beginning of the world as understood by ancient cultures and particular faith communities. Awe has been important in relations between humans and the Creator, and thin places have played a significant role in religious and spiritual architecture throughout history. In Christianity, for example, the Book of Genesis served to explain the creation of Earth, and in so described many of the ectypal patterns that define thin places. Religious and spiritual traditions have had at their core the transcendence and experience of both awe and serenity. Research by Vassilis Saroglou et al. in 2008 suggested that awe may increase spiritual and/or religious feelings. The function of religion has been to provide social cohesion and solidarity, to enforce religious-based morals and norms, and to offer meaning to existential questions.44 Religions have typically evolved through the lives, teachings and beliefs of historical or archetypal figures (e.g., Christ, Buddha, Moses, Krishna and Muhammad). According to Kamitsis and Francis, spirituality can be defined as “an individual’s inner experience and/or belief system, that gives meaning to existence, and subsequently allows one to transcend beyond the present context.45 And to Christina Puchalski, MD, spirituality is the aspect of humanity referring to the way in which individuals experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature and to the significant or sacred.46 A spiritual experience goes beyond the ordinary and can be mystical or euphoric, where there is an awareness of synchronicity, presence of intuitive thoughts, a sense of ultimate peace and well-being, and a degree of surrender. To Lionel Corbett, the sacred experience is broad encompassing much from a sense of a presence to a sense of mutuality and to union of the soul with the divine.47 These experiences can be noetic carrying information or knowledge that later can be assessed and assimilated. Religious beliefs are associated with particular faith traditions, and they are quite varied. Participation or commitment to a religion may involve adherence to certain ideologies, religious practices (prayer, sacraments and rituals), religious proscriptions (dietary modifications or avoidance of tobacco, alcohol and drugs) and participation in a religious community. Concepts of life after death are also varied. Spirituality goes beyond religious affiliation and strives for inspiration, meaning and the experience of awe and serenity. Religious and spiritual sites and sacred architecture have consistently had the intention to create a more fluid threshold and transcendent connection between heaven and earth, deity and human, and parish or community to religious institution and belief system. Historically, these experiences reflect the cultural importance to both the place and the time, and before modern skyscrapers, they were the largest buildings constructed. St. Peter’s Basilica, for example, with a size of 163,180 square feet (15,160 m2) represents the largest church in the world. Contemporary religious architecture followed similar intentions using modern construction methods, materials and programs. Design devices to accomplish this have typically been

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with the use of form and geometry, orientation, gestures reaching upward (heavenward), expressed structural systems, generous and impressive interior spaces, discriminating views (use of stained glass), abundant natural light, symbolic content and ritual practice through active participation. A charged spiritual place can occur within a natural setting that is intimate or spectacular, as shown in Figure 2.6a (place) and 2.6b (edge terminus). They can occur within a social, civic or religious setting as seen in Figure 2.6c (place marker) and 2.6d (place and place edge). Spirituality is understood to be a broad construct that includes many dimensions including the experience of serenity. Serenity emotions are also considered spiritual state promoting optimal health and quality of life. Reinhold Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer expresses this connection, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”48 According to Ingrid Vendrell Ferran, spiritual and religious emotional experiences are variations of general emotions from everyday life, and they possess certain qualities that distinguish them49: • •

Valence of qualitative experience – the quality, depth and diversity of emotions, often polarizing, from awe, surprise and fear to serenity, optimism and joy. Acts of cognition – dependence upon the phenomena of perceptions, memories, belief systems and imaginings toward which the emotions are directed.

According to Kirk Schneider, awe experiences are foundational to major religions as well as a new spiritual consciousness common to “Nones” or people who

2.6 Thin place examples: (a) The New Forest, United Kingdom, (b) Yellowstone Geyser, (c) Church of Ayios Konstantinos, Greece, (d) Piazza San Marco, Venice

 

 

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES do not identify with a particular faith-based group.50 Nones, Agnostic and Atheist percentages are increasing. According to a Pew Research Poll in 2012, around 20% of U.S. adults were unaffiliated, agnostic and atheist.51 A more recent poll in 2021 estimates sees three-in-ten Americans as Nones.52 This suggests that nonreligious experiences of the numinous and awe are gaining wider acceptance and religious experiences are growing less. The function of religion and awe-based consciousness can be facilitated by thin place experiences with particular emphasis on uncertainty and the unknown. This includes answering questions about the meaning and purpose of life, is there life after death, what are our origins, where is humanity evolving to, what is grace, and is there a God or higher Deity, to name a few? Studies that involved spiritual experiences found personal moments of transcendence, connections to God and wonder central to the experience. These experiences increased feelings of awe, serenity, the small-self and spiritual humility.53 Religious and spiritual experiences, like numinous and awe experiences, comprise two major experiential qualities, those that are ineffable (indescribable) and those that are noetic (possessing hidden or unexplainable knowledge). While the differences among them are sometimes difficult to discern, mystical episodes often accompany these experiences. Spiritual connections to awe experiences include the feeling of being one with others, local place and the larger world, purpose revealing, containing an element of transcendence and a sense of wonder. And spiritual connections to serenity include feelings of calm, inner peace and slowing of the perception of time. What differentiates religiosity and spirituality, although blurry, includes: •

•

Religious experiences – are more formal, structured and rule-based, have an exclusive world view and are about the relationship, worship and service with a deity (God, Christ, Allah, Buddha, Moses, Krishna, etc.), and at its core is a faith practice. Spiritual experiences – are more personal with inner understandings, extratheistic and mystical content, with direct experiences and a universal sense of “Other” as possessing a greater supernatural presence.

Religious architecture has emerging trends that include more facilities for youths, inclusion of all-purpose functions, focus on community building, de-­ emphasizing symbolism, increasing experience, and in the post-pandemic environment, limiting physical contact through virtual services.54 In addition, most new churches are located in suburban sites only accessible by automobile. In contrast is the Parish Church in Toronto, Canada. According to architects of St. Gabriel’s Parish Church, Roberto Chiotti and Richard Vosko, their design is a meaningful expression of eco-theology, ritual-centeredness, the relevance of religious teachings in the world today, and active participation.55 Refer to Figure 2.7a illustrating the colorful interior space and play of light against the interior church wall. Religious or spiritual experiences can occur in either natural or constructed settings. Figure 2.7b/c showing the exterior from the southeast and interior of Chartres Cathedral in Normandy, France, is a well-known sacred place reconstructed in two periods after the fire of 1194–1227 and the King’s Tower in 1513. The history of Chartres reveals that its

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2.7 (a) St. Gabriel Passionist Parish Church, Toronto, Canada, (b) Chartres Cathedral Southeast View, (c) Chartres Interior Labyrinth

  location is on a granite promontory and limestone plain was discovered 3,000 years ago by Druids who found the site so significant and made it their center of worship. The word “Chartres” is derived from the term “chiarn” meaning “place of the altar.” According to Rene Querido, although Chartres flourished in the Middle Ages, it carries a strong message for today which is the impulse to seek a new relation to the world of spirit, not based on dogma, but through direct experience attained through a gradual path of inner development.56 This spiritual process can be profoundly enhanced by architecture as seen in Chartres Cathedral in Figure 2.7b and the labyrinth possibly representing this path to inner development in Figure 2.7c. These characteristics are significant with their charged qualities and intrinsic positive effects and become portals transcending both space and time. Importantly, they are a PLACE where the veil becomes thin. This place is often described as a threshold, bridge or event causing physiological, psychological and social effects that transcend the ordinary level of experience. The spiritual dimension can also be an outcome of the participation with these connections either as a special occasion, such as a marriage ceremony, birthday, religious ceremony and funeral, or as an everyday occurrence, such as preparing a family meal, working in a garden, taking a bath, walking in the woods or a picnic at the beach at sunset. The way in which a landscape is fashioned into a narrative of sacred experience is not accidental. Thin places occur in natural, urban and in everyday places at varying scales. In this regard, they can be highly accessible given the quality of place and state of mind.

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES The emotion awe sits between surprise and fear on Plutchik’s emotion wheel, which supports Otto’s theory of the numinous. They tend to generate breathtaking experiences that are apprehensive and amazing. On the opposite side of the emotion wheel are joy and calm, while they are not awe emotions, they are important in more peaceful transformative experiences. They tend to generate serene experiences that offer a range of benefits when practiced regularly, by slowing down, pausing, calming our nervous systems and relieving stress. Sacred places have long been an interest of design professionals, such as Christopher Wren, Antonio Gaudi, Ebenezer Howard, Fredrick Olmsted, le Corbusier, Tadao Ando, Peter Zumthor, Hassan Fathy, Fay Jones, Rudolf Steiner, Eric Asmussen and Christopher Day to list a few. Sacred architecture in many ways is similar to any other building requiring foundations, structure, heating and ventilating systems, and responses to zoning requirements and fire regulations. Yet, there is an additional responsibility which is to create space that can become a charged veil that elicit transcendent experiences. The types and function of sacred places vary greatly. According to James Swan, in his varieties of Native American Sacred Places, sacred place functions include graves, cemeteries, burial grounds, purification and healing sites, sacred plant and animal sites, quarries, astronomical observatories, shrines, temples and effigies, fertility sites, mythic and legendary sites, historic sites and places of spiritual renewal.57 To this list could be added more contemporary functions, such as meditation sites, spa sites, healing retreats, sanctuary spaces, remarkable natural and geological sites, land art sites, private courtyards and civic plazas, and overview sites as in space travel. While thin places and sacred sites are most often associated with religious or sacred functions, more recent applications occur for more nonreligious activities, particularly those related to healing, wellness and renewal. Figure 2.8 illustrates two contemporary serene, yet awe inspiring, thin places by architect Peter Zumthor. The Bruder-Klaus Field Chapel is located in Mechernich, Germany, and was designed in 2007. Both the form of the building and the construction method are of significance contributing to the thin place experience. The chapel form was cast around a cluster or wigwam of 120 tree trunks and was slowly burned for three days leaving behind a charred trace and reminder of the construction process. Therme Vals is a destination spa and hotel located in the hamlet Leis in Vals, Switzerland, and opened in 1996. The bathing rooms and spas are half buried into the hillside offering a peaceful protected refuge experience as well as beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. Water for the spas comes from the Graubuenden thermal mineral source beneath the ground. According to Emile Durkheim in The Functionalist Perspective on Religion, religion is very real and is an expression of society itself. She suggests that the profane refers to mundane ordinary life with its routines and everyday tasks, and that the sacred refers to the transcendence of the humdrum of everyday life. They are separate and distanced from one another. Durkheim goes on to assert that religious experiences contribute to reduction of stress, positive mental health, an increase coping strategies and that of individual happiness.58 Today, so called “sacred places” are created and marketed making them prime targets for tourism

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2.8 Two Peter Zumthor buildings: (a) Bruder-Klaus Field Chapel, Germany, (b) Therme Vals Spa, Switzerland

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES followed by overdevelopment.59 Randolph Hester and Amber Nelson would argue that in the past religious institutions and settings were constructed to model ethics, morality and political situations, yet today there is the need to provide home places for our own welfare, public good and living purposeful values.60 So, since thin places are purported to occur in both sacred and secular settings, it is possible for transcendent experiences to occur in both. AWE AND PSYCHEDELIC WELLNESS Recent research suggests that the use of psychedelic substances like LSD or psilocybin may have positive effects on mood, social connectedness and Proenvironmental behaviors.61 In addition, there is evidence that they can be helpful in the treatment of depression, eating disorders, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse. These experiences are now being related to awe emotions with the presence of vast perceptions of reality, loss of ego and in some instances mystical experiences. There appears to be robust evidence that positive effects occur in naturalistic settings that produce lasting changes in healthy individuals’ well-being and nature relatedness. Further studies found that the experience with classic psychedelics predicted self-reported pro-environmental behaviors and identification with nature.62 Further, the Global Wellness Institute published a paper with findings that supported that psilocybin doses and a therapy walk drastically reduced heavy alcohol drinking.63 Today, psychedelic wellness retreats are gaining popularity worldwide with microdosing becoming a growing industry. While psychedelics can facilitate therapeutic experiences, they can also produce negative experiences, so great care is recommended. Some of the potential outcomes of psychedelic wellness experiences are similar to numinous, awe, serenity and spiritual emotions, and are described as follows: •

•

• •

•

Interconnectedness – Characteristics of form, space, geometry and color seemed interconnected dissolving into a unity of perception. This included connectedness to the universe, socially and to the immediate setting. Perception of time – Perception of time begin to change, as it can slow down or even speed up and even come to a standstill. Past and future seem to blend into a single on-going moment. Positive mood – Feelings of anticipation, wonder, fascination, amazement and joy seem to permeate and contribute to a positive emotional experience. Pro-environmental behaviors – biospheric values, natural numinosity, sensitivity to preservation, environmental self-identity, acknowledgement of climate change and environmental activism. Need for Accommodation – At the end of the experience, there was a need to make sense of the experience especially because many of the episodes were beyond the normal, and to reconstruct, reconnect, reorient and integrate to the present place and time.

For my own experiences with psychedelics, it was more than five decades ago, and I was able to experience the oneness of everything around me, the energetic

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interconnectedness, the perception of changing time, the profound awareness of the present, and I did need time to re-integrate. While I did not know at the time, I was engaging in numinous and awe experiences. I did not have a sense of the experience occurring within a thin place per se, but rather found the inseparability of the form and space around me. The unusual sensual experienced created a variety of emotions and the veil between the profane or ordinary space and the altered state evolved into a transformative place over a period of many hours. Shadowing cannabis tourism, psychedelic retreats are experiencing widespread growth. The conditions surrounding the use psychedelics seriously influence the kind of experience one is likely to have. Critical to the psychedelic retreat environments and LSD-assisted therapy are the controlled conditions, quality and safety of the environment, healing ceremonies surrounding their use and the support staff. Psychedelic Wellness Retreats are located around the world including the United States, Jamaica, Mexico, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Spain, Peru and Brazil. Most of these wellness retreats run 1–2 weeks in length, offering an all-inclusive experience complete with accommodations, healthy meals, guided psychedelic ceremonies, supporting mind–body activities like yoga, meditation and breathwork, even spa treatments and day trips to nearby sights of interest. While these experiments do create awe experiences and emotional vulnerability, there remains caution for the dangers of their use and long-term health concerns. NEED FOR ACCOMMODATION The need for accommodation is common to each of the emotional responses associated with thin place experiences – awe, serene and religious/spiritual experiences. For awe experiences, accommodation was defined as the process of adjusting or making sense out of preexisting mental structures that were unable to be assimilated in the awe experience. The experiences challenge our concept of ourselves and the world around us through awe-inspiring emotions that require us to adjust our cognitive schema to accommodate them. We often describe these events as “mind-blowing” or “earth-shattering.” They simply don’t conform to our existing way of thinking about the world around us.64 The need for accommodation that does not include vastness would not elicit awe but another emotion such as surprise, anticipation or serenity.65 For serene experiences, the accommodation can manifest both cognitive (peace of mind) and emotional (inner peace) adjustments. The need for accommodation of a serenity experience detaches from excessive emotions, allows for trust, forgiveness and acceptances, and gives a perspective of one’s own self and life events. Cognitive restructuring of a serenity experience takes the form of an ability to reappraise and readdress problems.66 And in the face of either internal or external stressors, emotional balance and equilibrium are facilitated. In serenity research, accommodation is referred to as cognitive adjustment, restructuring or reframing. In instances of stress, false narratives, dissatisfaction, depression or negative events, the reframing can take the form of positive thinking. This has a twofold focus on correcting flawed patterns of thinking that lead to undesirable behavior and in unlearning bad habits and behaviors and replacing them with healthier behavior. Accommodation

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES also occurs with the remembered inner peace and emotional intelligence as a result of a serene experience. For a religious experience in the past, its function was about gaining an understanding of nature, providing existential meaning, developing a moral code and creation of social cooperation. Accommodation of both religious and spiritual experiences today is seated in emotional therapy, social bonding, managing sorrow and grief, and is proactive. According to Jean Piaget, accommodation seeks to create new schemas that actually change existing knowledge that adapt to individual circumstances, assimilation seeks to relate new information to old cognitive structures and schemas.67 The need for accommodation is the process of adjusting (shifting or expanding) mental structures that cannot assimilate the awe experience and are further exacerbated in heightened times of crisis.68 According to Youngmee Kim and Larry Seidlitz, spiritual re-adjustment often occurs with coping responses including problem-focused issues, avoidance, denial, stress and physical symptoms.69 The cognitive readjustment, especially for grief, comes in the form of an easing or acceptance through a bereaved appraisal. These experiences are often accompanied with thoughts of shock, disbelief, anxiety, confusion, helplessness and loneliness, and feelings of sadness, guilt and anger.70 Accommodation can also derive from magical thinking, which presumes a causal link between one’s inner, personal experience and the external physical world. And according to Brian Vandenberg, magical thinking in adults addresses ultimate questions of life, purpose, meaning, being and mortality.71 John Steele’s concept of “psychic amphibians” is a process in which the numinous experience is remembered with both cognitive and emotional insights that are recalled after the transcendent experience, and applied to everyday life, very much like the remembering a dream.72 Edward Casey suggests that remembering is overcoming something forgotten. He goes on to say we have forgotten that we forgot, further sealing the separation (double forgetting).73 According to Murray Stein, the crossing back and forth is where links or insights can lead to deeper perspectives on life through a process of sublimation or the transfer from one state (the spiritual) to another (the secular).74 The concept of “sublimation” helps understand the transformational process. It derives from the Latin sublimat meaning “to elevate.” In an alchemical process, it is an ascending action resulting in change to a higher form. In chemistry, sublimation refers to the physical changes of a state where water, for example, transitions from a solid phase to a gaseous phase without passing through an intermediate liquid phase. It becomes another aggregate state that is qualitatively different. This ability is to cross phases or pass through the thin place veil is what John Steele calls our ability to become psychic amphibians where the connections become integrated, remembered and ripe for accommodation. Feelings of synchronicity occur and are often in need of assessment and understanding. This need for accommodation can be summarized by the following processes: •

Cognitive re-structuring – mental processes derived from awe experiences are needing to make sense of the process and integrate the experience, finding

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•

•

•

closure, shifting and expanding, examination of uncertainty created by the experience, overcoming confusion, obscurity and novelty, and reframing previously held concepts and thoughts. Emotional re-adjusting – mood swings, emotional inner peace derived from serenity experiences needing to reaffirm acceptance, inner haven and trust, and acceptance, adaption, and modification of attitudes, expressions of the numinous emotions and emotional intelligence. Religious/spiritual awakening – transcendent overpowering experience, that is confusing and amazing, derived from either religious well-being (one’s relationship with God) or existential well-being (sense of purpose and satisfaction with life) needing deepening. Remembering – harmonize mind, body and place memory processes, overcoming forgetfulness and spiritual amnesia, becoming spiritual amphibians, and remembering the treasures of a thin place experience.

NEUROSCIENCE OF EMOTIONS Neuroscience focuses on the brain and its impact on behavior and cognitive function. More recently, this includes the study of awe. There are a few key areas that make up how emotions work in the brain, and they have been studied using neuroimaging, voxel-based morphometry and functional magnetic resonance imaging. The prefrontal cortex, which exists in human brain, is involved with emotional regulation and decision-making. This is where we store our sense of self, our value system, our self-control. We use the prefrontal cortex to suppress emotions. The amygdala assesses our environment for potential danger and conjures the anxiety, fear and anger that we might need in order to respond to this potential danger. The amygdala is also where we store emotional memory. The thalamus receives information from the senses – sight, touch, smell, hearing, taste – and sends information to relevant areas of the brain. The hippocampus is where we store memory and the physical sensations of emotion. Research into brain science has confirmed many of the characteristic emotional responses to awe experiences. Summaries of several studies follow. One study at the University of Amsterdam by Michael van Elk and his colleagues, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), showed that while watching aweeliciting positive videos, their minds did not wander and participants were less concerned about self (reduced self-referential processing) and more engaged with the external world.75 More specifically, their findings suggested that absorption in the awe experience may have been accompanied by a reduction in mind-wandering and spontaneous self-reflective thought. The research underlies the captivating, immersive nature of awe experiences. In another neuroscience study by Beau Lotto and his colleagues at the University College of London through experiments with Cirque Du Soleil found an increase in living in the moment, an increase to the tolerance to risk, recalibrations of feelings about the future and perceptions about the past, and increased creativity explained by greater activity in the default mode network.76 The study of

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES audiences attending a Cirque du Soleil performance using brain-minoring technology (EEG Brain-Caps) and artificial intelligence software, researchers were able to record 23 different awe moments during the performances. They found that awe experiences were immersive, uninhibited, caused empathy toward others, produced a reduced need for cognitive control, and had greater activity in the default mode network resulting in a reduction in self-thinking and reframing one’s positive sense of self with more prosocial feelings. Beau Lotto, lead neuroscientist, explains that “awe creates the possibility to expand our space of possibility.”77 The study also uncovered that the experience of awe helps alleviate the unsettling feelings of uncertainty with greater comfort with risk. People differ in their predisposition for awe experiences and that openness to the experience and the personality trait of “absorption” are strong predictors of the intensity of awe experience.78 These are similar findings to the van Elk and Lotto research. Further, in a study by Guan, Xiang, Chen, Wang and Chen, the current study, they determined the neural correlation of dispositional awe by using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in 42 young healthy adults, as measured by the Dispositional Positive Emotion Scale (DPES). Results revealed that the dispositional awe score was negatively associated with the regional gray matter volume (rGMV) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), middle/posterior cingulate cortex (MCC/PCC) and middle temporal gyrus (MTG), Figure 2.9. These results suggest that individual differences in dispositional awe involve multiple brain regions related to attention, conscious self-regulation, cognitive control and social emotion. 79 Anastasia Ejova at the University of Adelaide argues that the need for accommodation from an awe experience is possibly a prosocial process.80 In a study by Michelle Shiota et al., experience of awe leads people to shift their awareness and attention away from day-to-day concerns and toward larger entities and to diminish their individual self.81 While the development of thin place design in this work is on positive experiences of awe, new neural research has focused on the two variants of awe: positive and negative awe. Guan, Zhao, Chen, Lu, Chen and Xiang, using

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2.9 Images of the default-mode network in the brain

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voxel-based morphometry (VBM), used two sets of images: panoramic natural views to elicit positive awe, and threatening natural disasters to elicit negative awe. Likert scales of calm to very excited, and simple to very complicated were used. The MRI scans showed similar levels of awe and differing brain region correlates associated with the two variants.82 The research using neuroscience indicates that brain activity in relation to awe elicitors effects differing brain regions that supported awe absorption, reductions in self-referential processing, an increase in prosocial behavior. And according to Beau Lotto, awe may be an important component of evolution that introduces uncertainty and the process of accommodation. According to Sarah Laskow, “It (awe) might be big or small, natural or manmade, but it stops you cold-while other positive emotions arouse the body, people feeling awe are very still-and makes you reevaluate what you actually know.”83 In research by Ryota Takano and Michio Nomura, they focused neurological studies on two experiences of awe, mainly positive-awe, in the context of thin places (natural beauty or spiritual experiences), and threat-awe (natural disasters, terrorist attacks or wrathful deity). They posited that these two types of awe would have differing neurological effects. Their findings suggest that the neural mechanisms underlying the complex psychological processes of awe vary as a function of the type of awe.84 Related to this research is that of Arnie Gordon et al., that negative emotions differ from other variants of awe in terms of their underlying appraisals, subjective experience, physiological correlates and consequences for well-being.85 In terms of other emotions around the emotion wheel, this would suggest different neurological responses to emotions like serenity. In regard to the neuroscience of spiritual practice and experience, researchers suggest that the concepts of “certainty” or “meaningfulness,” social connectedness and love can be tied to specific areas of the brain.86 The autonomic nervous system changes may be complex involving both a relaxation (activating serene emotions) and also an arousal (creating awe responses), and the occurrence parasympathetic activity during spiritual practices. In a study published in 2002 in Britain, researchers found that transcendent experiences were quite common with an increase in prayers being answered, awareness of the presence of the dead, and an awareness of the sacred in Nature, while at the same time there was a decrease in the awareness and presence of a Diety.87 The science of these transcendent emotions validates the anatomy of the experiences and the presence of positive outcomes, such as optimism, openness, generosity, empathy and pro-­ environmental behaviors. The concept of emotional intelligence, developed by Daniel Goldman, is that emotions originate in primitive parts of the brain. There are several components of the brain that are linked to being connected to emotional intelligence, including, among others, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and frontal cortex and the amygdala and the nucleus accumbens. Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand, use and manage emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict.88

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES Emotional intelligence can be linked to the accommodating process that results from a thin place experience where readjustment occurs not only cognitively but also emotionally. SUMMARY Thin places provide the opportunity for a variety of emotional experiences to occur which create many positive effects. At the core of a thin place experience is a connection to the numinous “Other” evoking an alluring sense of the unknown, utter presence, pinnacle of self-inclusiveness, ebullition of personal piety and completing with consecrative grace. The contents of thin places include the presence of the unexplainable and our emotional experience of it – whether it is elicited by a numinous, awe, serene or spiritual experience. To Rudolf Otto, the numinous phenomena are at the heart of religious experience and are nonrational and impossible to grasp conceptually. There is a progression from secular space and everyday consciousness reflecting the world as we ordinarily know it, and as we come in contact with thin places, their characteristics elicit transcendent experiences of awe or serenity connecting to “the Other,” or as Eric Weiner says, the “Infinite Whatever.” The spiritual realm, which is beyond the veil, also has been described in many forms from the Wholly Other, a dwelling place of the gods and the realm of angels to ghosts, fairies, mythic creatures and nature spirits. It too has been described as pure light, color and radiant energy. Whatever is beyond the veil remains a mystery. The thin place simply acts as a facilitator. And in order to better understand this phenomenon, it is important to learn about the nature of place or the physical context within which these experiences occur. This includes understanding place theory, physical characteristics and design patterns that combine and contribute to such experiences. The locations, contexts, types, sizes and functions of thin places vary tremendously, yet they possess similar place-defining qualities. It is within these contexts that thin place experiences can be accessible to contemporary society and everyday experiences. From an exhilarating visit to Time Square on New Year’s Eve to an intimate moment sitting in a window seat viewing a beautiful view of a garden, the specific place is integral to the experience. And for designers, it is important to understand the anatomy and design attributes of such places. The two different thin places depicted in Figure 2.10 show nature-generated and humanmade thin places – the natural wonder of the Grand Canyon with its thin place edge and verge condition, and the splendor of a whole thin place as seen in a constructed monument comprising sacred art within the interior of the Sistine Chapel. It is clear that the two differing places possess different charges. The following chapter examines place theory as a necessary part of thin places and the architecture of the numinous. It includes exploration of the core principles, archetypal forms, ectypal patterns and a way of analyzing them for the design of thin places. Serenity is meaningful to nursing practice because it relates to an underdeveloped construct of importance in nursing – (spirituality) and adds new perspectives to conceptualization about spirituality.89

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2.10 Differing thin places: (a) edge thin places, (b) whole thin places

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES NOTES 1. Meyers, David G., Psychology, 8th edition (Accessed December 7, 2021) https:// penaherreraallieappsychology.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/david-g-meyers-psychology8th-edition/ 2. Izard, Carol, Basic Emotions, Natural Kinds, Emotion Schemas, and a New Paradigm (Accessed December 3, 2021) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1745-6916.2007.00044.x 3. Keltner, Dacher and Haidt, Jonathan (2003). Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition and Emotion, 17(2), 297–314 (Accessed October 4, 2021) https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930302297 4. Ekman, Paul, Basic Emotions, Handbook of Cognition and Emotion, by Dalgleish, Tim and Power, Mick J. (Eds.) (New York, NY: Wiley and Sons, 1969). 5. Plutchik, Robert (Accessed November 10, 2021) https://www.6seconds.org/2020/08/11/ plutchik-wheel-emotions/ 6. Ibid. 7. Keltner, Dacher and Haidt, Jonathan (2003). Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition and Emotion, 17(2), 297–314 (Accessed October 4, 2021) https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930302297 8. Allen, Summer, The Science of Awe (Accessed October 20, 2021) https://ggsc.berkeley. edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Awe_FINAL.pdf 9. Keltner, Dacher and Haidt, Jonathan (2003). Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition and Emotion, 17(2), 297–314 (Accessed October 4, 2021) https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930302297 10. Otto, Rudolf, The Idea of the Holy (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 1958), p 30. 11. Keltner, Dacher and Haidt, Jonathan (2003). Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition and Emotion, 17(2), 297–314 (Accessed October 4, 2021) https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930302297 12. Fredrickson, Barbara, Factor Structure of the “Top Ten” Positive Emotions of Barbara Fredrickson (Accessed October 20, 2022) https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ fpsyg.2021.641804/full 13. Keltner, Dacher and Haidt, Jonathan (2003). Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition and Emotion, 17(2), 297–314 (Accessed October 4, 2021) https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930302297 14. Roberts, Kay and Cheryl Aspy, Development of a Serenity Scale (Accessed August 20, 2022) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/15347724_Development_ of_the_Serenity_Scale 15. Buettner, Dan, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest (Washington, DC: The National Geographic, 2010). 16. Keltner, Dasher and Haidt, Jonathan, Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion (Accessed October 10, 2022) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/ abs/10.1080/02699930302297 17. Wikipedia, Numinous (Accessed July 10, 2022) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numinous 18. Yaden, Kaufman, Hyde, Chirico, Gaggioli Zhang and Keltner, The Development of the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S): A Multifactorial Measure for a Complex Emotion (Accessed October 4, 2021), p. 7. 19. Otto, Rudolf, The Idea of the Holy (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 1958), p. 30. 20. Spitzer, Robert, Rudolf Otto’s Mysterium Tremendum et Fascinass’ in Our Experience of the Numen (Accessed September 12, 2022) https://blog.magiscenter.com/blog/ rudolf-ottos-mysterium-tremendum-et-fascinans-in-our-experience-of-the-numen 21. Corbett, Lionel, The Sacred Cauldron: Psychotherapy as a Sacred Practice (Ashville, NC: Chiron Publications, 2015), p. 54. 22. Stein, Murray, Importance of Numinous Experience in Alchemy of Individualism (Accessed October 12, 2022) https://jungchicago.org/blog/ murray-stein-on-the-importance-of-numinous-experience-in-the-alchemy-of-individuation/

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23. Keltner, Dasher and Haidt, Jonathan, Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion (Accessed October 10, 2022) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/ abs/10.1080/02699930302297 24. Keltner Dacher, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life (New York, NY: Penguin Press, 2023), pp. 7–8. 25. Allen, Summer, The Science of Awe (Accessed October 20, 2021) https://ggsc.berkeley. edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Awe_FINAL.pdf 26. Yaden, Kaufman, Hyde, Chirico, Gaggioli Zhang and Keltner, The Development of the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S): A Multifactorial Measure for a Complex Emotion (Accessed October 4, 2021) https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-35661-001, pp. 10–11. 27. Allen, Summer, The Science of Awe (Accessed October 20, 2021) https://ggsc.berkeley. edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Awe_FINAL.pdf 28. Ibid. 29. Keltner, Dasher and Haidt, Jonathan, Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion (Accessed October 10, 2022) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/ abs/10.1080/02699930302297 30. Ibid. 31. Schoebauer, Julie, Awe and Wonder (Accessed December 8, 2021) https://www.worldwisdomsproject.org/2020/03/16/awe-wonder/ 32. Quirks & Quarks, Exploring the [Powerful Emotion of Awe: How Can It Be Awesome and Awe-full (Accessed November 18, 2021) https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/ august-3-2019-science-of-awe-blue-whales-and-sonar-chromosomes-and-sleep-andmore-1.5047142/exploring-the-powerful-emotion-of-awe-how-it-can-be-awe-someand-aw-ful-1.5047156 33. Roberts, Kay T. and Theresa C. Messenger, Helping Older Adults Find Serenity Geriatric Nursing, 1993), p. 14, and Roberts, Kay and Cheryl Aspy, Development of the Serenity Scale (PubMed: Journal of Nursing Measurement, 1993), pp. 155–156. 34. Ibid. 35. Fredrickson, Barbara, Positive emotions broaden and build, in Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 47, P. Devine and A. Plant (Eds.) (Academic Press), pp. 1–53. 36. Ibid. 37. Davis, Tchiki, 4 of the Most Important Positive Emotions and What They Do (Accessed December 17, 2021) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/clickhere-happiness/202109/4-the-most-important-positive-emotions-and-what-they-do 38. Kreitzer, Mary J., Cynthia Gross, On-anong Waleeknachonioet, Maryanne Reilly-Spong and Marcia Byrd, The Brief Serenity Scale: A Psychometric Analysis of a Measure of Spirituality and Well-Being (Accessed July 28, 2022) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC2818779/ 39. Roberts, Kay and Cheryl Aspy, Development of a Serenity Scale (Accessed August 20, 2022) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/15347724_ Development_of_the_Serenity_Scale 40. Zorn, Justin and Leigh Marz, Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise (New York, NY: Harper Wave, 2022). 41. Ibid., p. 42. 42. Juan Xi and Matthew Lee, Inner Peace as a Contribution to Human Flourishing: A New Scale Developed from Ancient Wisdom (Accessed October 20, 2022) https://academic. oup.com/book/39523/chapter/339352679 43. Konrads, Cornelia, Passages (Accessed July 17, 2022) https://www.cokonrads.de/index. php/home/portfolio/site-specific-works/103-passage-text 44. Saroglou, Vassilis, Awe Activates Religious and Spiritual Feelings and Behavioral Intentions (Accessed December 8, 2021) https://psycnet.apa.org/ record/2011-24221-001 45. Kamitsis, Ilias and Francis, Andrew (2013). Spirituality mediates the relationships between engagement with nature and psychological wellbeing.  J. Environ.

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES Psychol.  36 136–143.  Schneider, Kirk, The Phenomenology of Awe (Accessed November 10, 2021) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/awakening-awe/201806/ the-phenomenology-awe 46. Pulchalski, Christina, Religion vs. Spirituality: And the Difference Between Them (Accessed January 9, 2022) https://chopra.com/articles/religion-vs-spiritualitythe-difference-between-them 47. Corbett, Lionel, The Sacred Cauldron: Psychotherapy as a Sacred Practice (Ashville, NC: Chiron Publications, 2015), p. 49. 48. Niebuhr, Reinhold, Serenity Prayer (Accessed October 26, 2022) https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Serenity_Prayer 49. Ferran, Ingrid Vendell, Religious Emotion as a Form of religious Experience (Accessed September 10, 2022) https://philarchive.org/archive/FERREA-7 50. Schneider, Kirk, The Phenomenology of Awe (Accessed November 10, 2021) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/awakening-awe/201806/thephenomenology-awe 51. Pew Research Center, Nones on the Rise (Accessed January 5, 2022) https://www. pewforum.org/2012/10/09/nones-on-the-rise/ 52. Pew Research Center, About Three-in-Ten U.S. Adults Are Now Religiously Unaffiliated (Accessed October 19, 2022) https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/12/14/ about-three-in-ten-u-s-adults-are-now-religiously-unaffiliated/ 53. Preston, Jesse and Faith Shin, Spiritual Experiences Evoke Awe through the Small Self in Both Religious and Non-religious Individuals (Accessed November 20, 2021) https://www. sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022103116305352 54. Tabb, Phillip James, Epilogue, Modernism and American Mid-20th Century Sacred Architecture, Anat Geva (Ed.) (London, UK: Routledge, 2019), pp. 296–303. 55. Chiotti, Roberto and Richard S. Vosko, Worship Space Today: Trends in Modern Church Architecture (Accessed October 4, 2021) https://www.americamagazine.org/issue/777/ article/worship-space-today 56. Querido, Rene, The Golden Age of Chartres: The Teachings of the School of the Eternal Feminine (Hudson, NY: Anthroposophic Press, 1987), p. 21. 57. Swann, James, Sacred Places: How the Living Earth Seeks Our Friendship (Santa Fe, NM: Bear & Company, 1990), pp. 44–72. 58. Durkheim, Emile, The Functionalist Perspective on Religion (Accessed October 4, 2021) https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-sociology/chapter/the-functionalistperspective-on-religion/ 59. Hester, Randolph T. and Amber D. Nelson, Inhabiting the Sacred in Everyday Life (Staunton, VA: George F. Thompson Publishing, 2019). 60. Ibid. 61. Forstmann, Matthias, Daniel Yudkin, Annayah Prosser and Molly Crockett, Transformative Experience and Social Connectedness Mediate the Mood-Enhancing Effects of Psychedelic Use in Naturalistic Settings (Accessed September 19, 2022) https://www. pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1918477117 62. Forstmann, Matthias and Christina Sagioglou (Accessed September 20, 2022) https:// pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28631526/ 63. Mcgroarty, Beth, New Study: Psilocybin therapy Dramatically Reduced Heavy Drinking (Accessed September 21, 2022) https://globalwellnessinstitute. org/global-wellness-institute-blog/2022/09/20/new-study-psilocybin-therapy-dramaticallyreduced-heavy-drinking/ 64. Yaden, Kaufman, Hyde, Chirico, Gaggioli Zhang and Keltner, The Development of the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S): A Multifactorial Measure for a Complex Emotion (Accessed October 4, 2021) https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-35661-001 65. Allen, Summer, The Science of Awe (Accessed August 26, 2022) https://ggsc.berkeley. edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Awe_FINAL.pdf

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66. Roberts, Kay and Cher yl Aspy, Development of the Serenit y Scale (Accessed August 23, 2022) https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/15347724_Development_of_the_Serenity_Scale 67. Piaget, Jean, Understanding Accommodation and Assimilation in Psychology (Accessed August 30, 2022) https://www.simplypsychology.org/what-is-accommodation-and-assimilation.html 68. Asma, Stephen, Religion Is about Emotion Regulation, and It’s Very Good at It (Accessed August 23, 2022) https://bigthink.com/culture-religion/ religion-is-about-emotion-regulation-and-its-very-good-at-it-2610961535/ 69. Kim, Youngmee and Larry Seidlitz, Spirituality Moderates the Effect of Stress on Emotional and Physical Adjustment (Accessed October 23, 2022) https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/222943115_Spirituality_moderates_the_effect_of_stress_on_emotional_and_ physical_adjustment 70. VITAS Healthcare, Feelings and Reactions to a Significant Loss (Accessed August 23, 2022) https://www.vitas.com/family-and-caregiver-support/grief-and-bereavement/ coping-with-grief/feelings-and-reactions-to-a-significant-loss 71. Vandenberg, Brian, Magical Thinking (Accessed August 23, 2022) https://www.britannica. com/science/magical-thinking 72. Steele, John, Geomancy: Consciousness and Sacred Sites (New York, NY: Trigon Communications, Inc., 1985). 73. Casey, Edward T., The Fate of Place: A Philosophical History (Berkeley, CA: The University of California, 199 Lotto, Beau, Groundbreaking Study Proves That Experiencing Awe Has Far Reaching Psychological and Behavioral Benefits 7). 74. Stein, Murray, Importance of Numinous Experience in Alchemy of Individualism (Accessed October 12, 2022) https://jungchicago.org/blog/murray-stein-on-theimportance-of-numinous-experience-in-the-alchemy-of-individuation/ 75. van Elk, Michael, Andrea Anciniegas Gomez, Wietske van der Zwaag, Hein van Schie and Dosa Suater, The Neural Correlates of the Awe Experience: Reduced Default Mode Network Activity during Feelings of Awe (Accessed November 18, 2021) https://www. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6766853/ 76. (Accessed November 20, 2021) https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/press/news/2018/ cirque-du-6 77. Lotto, Beau, Groundbreaking Study Proves That Experiencing Awe Has Far Reaching Psychological and Behavioral Benefits (Accessed November 20, 2021) https://www. cirquedusoleil.com/press/news/2018/cirque-du-6 78. Ibid. 79. Guan, Fang, Sasa Zhao, Shaona Chen, Shi Lu, Jun Chen and Yanhui Xiang, The Neural Correlate Difference Between Positive and Negative Awe (Accessed November 19, 2021) https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2019.00206/full 80. Ejova, Anastasia, Awe as a Social Emotion: An Overview of Insights from Social Neurosciences and Self-categorization Theory (Accessed November 19, 2021) https:// rhizome.upol.cz/pdfs/erh/2019/02/04.pdf 81. Shiota, Michelle N., Keltner, Dacher and Mossman, Amanda. The Nature of Awe: Elicitors, Appraisals and Effects on Self-concept (Accessed January 16, 2022) https://greatergood. berkeley.edu/dacherkeltner/docs/shiota.2007.pdf 82. Guan, Fang, Sasa Zhao, Shaona Chen, Shi Lu, Jun Chen and Yanhui Xiang, The Neural Correlate Difference Between Positive and Negative Awe (Accessed November 19, 2021, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2019.00206/full 83. Laskow, Sarah, The Mind-Bending Science of Awe (Accessed November 20, 2021) https:// www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-mind-bending-science-of-awe 84. Takano, Royta and Michio Nomura, Neural Representations of Awe: Distinguishing Common and Distinct Neural Mechanisms, Neural Representations of Awe pdf. (Accessed January 17, 2022) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32496077/

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◼  NUMINOUS EXPERIENCES 85. Gordon, Arnie M, Jennifer E. Steller, Craig I. Anderson, Galen D. McNeil, Daniel Loew, Dasher Keltner (Accessed January 16, 2022) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27929301/ 86. Newberg, Andrew, The Neuroscientific Study of Spiritual Practices (Accessed January 11, 2022) https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00215/full 87. Fenwick, Peter, The Neuroscience of Spirituality (Accessed January 12, 2022) https:// www.rcpsych.ac.uk/docs/default-source/members/sigs/spirituality-spsig/spiritualityspecial-interest-group-publications-peter-fenwick-the-neuroscience-of-spirituality. pdf?sfvrsn=f5f9fed8_2 88. HelpGuide, Improving Emotional Intelligence (Accessed October 23, 2022) https://www. helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/emotional-intelligence-eq.htm 89. Roberts, Kay and Cheryl Aspy, Development of a Serenity Scale (Accessed August 20, 2022) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/15347724_Development_ of_the_Serenity_Scale

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3 PLACE Theory, Principles, Patterns and Analyses

PLACE THEORY, PRINCIPLES, PATTERNS AND ANALYSIS One of the oldest tenets of geography is the concept of place with three defining characteristics, mainly location, locale and sense of place. Location is the specific position of a particular point on Earth. Locale is the physical setting that supports relationships between people and spatial settings. And the sense of place is the identity, perception, spirit or emotion attached to a particular place. To Edward Casey, to be is to be bounded by place.1 Yi-Fu Tuan sees places occurring in widely divergent contexts and are centers of felt value and meaning.2 And to Michael Brill all charged sites reflect the first place and share an archetype of spaced place.3 The relationship between place theory and thin places is a relatively new line of inquiry. Previous chapters have defined thin places and the emotional experiences that derive from them. This chapter focuses on the nature of place itself, the principles and patterns that are an important part of them. And finally, there is an analysis method designed for assessing pattern effectiveness. THE FIRST PLACE Creation, and especially the first creation, is one of the ultimate mysteries and certainly a speculative on at that. From time immemorial the notion of the first place has been central to the description of our beginning and often rituals of emplacement have been celebrated where the experience has come with an original feeling. It is tracing back to the moment of creation to a moment, a void, in which there was no place, and nothing becomes something. Edward Casey explains that this something must occur within a place, and that there is an inextricable co-existence between being and place.4 The origin of place is its foundation and behind its creation is the original cause. Creation myths, or creation stories, are at the foundation of nearly every culture and are narratives that seek to address the wonders of existence. Elements that are common to most creation myths include emergence from nothingness, origin of the universe (cosmology), birth, mother and father, and a supreme energy or being. Narratives also include concepts of duality or the conjugation of opposites, ascent and descent, Earth diver myths, materiality of the world and Earth in particular. While much attention has been given to the theology, philosophy and cosmology of creation, the full understanding still eludes us. Creation myths include Enuma Elis

DOI: 10.4324/9781003354888-3

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Babylonian myth, Hopi creation myth, Maya world myth, Aborigine creation myth, Genesis, and the on-going Hindu phases of creation and destruction. And finally, there is the Big Bang Theory describing a cosmic inflation created from dust, pressure and thermalization occurring with no apparent sacred intervention. Michael Brill suggests that this first place possesses certain characteristics that are common to all places, and that mythic places have a charge and seem to carry and reveal important meaning, including a narrative capacity.5 Brill goes on to speculate that at the heart of an experience of a mythic place are strong feelings that are broader, older, deeper and widely shared. There exists an internal imprint, inherited memory, embodied myth or archetype that resonates from within through connection with a charged source or elicitor. Embedded within most creation myths are certain principles that have universal applicability. These principles inform place and are a process emerging from wholeness to diversity, to form and material, and finally to our participation with it. Echoing Pythagorean emergence of number is, where one becomes two, two becomes three and so on. According to Robin Waterfield in “The Theology of Arithmetic,” the Pythagorean meanings and specific properties given to number have yet to be explained or unexplained.6 In this regard the first five numbers significantly suggest the archetypal nature of the unity, generative, formative, corporeal and regenerative principles, Figure 3.1. The geometric properties of pi, the square root or two, square root of three, the square and Golden Mean reflect the thin place principles. PLACE ARCHETYPES The idea of thin places suggests that the transcendent experiences they elicit are inextricably linked to place. Therefore, the study of place is especially necessary in thin place design, and the understanding of place archetypes, ectypes and types is crucial to this process. A particular thin place found in the home or in a forest contains the source expressed as archetypes, design patterns expressed as ectypes and as specific settings expressed as types (meaning it is unique).7 Archetypes are energetic qualities of a principle. They are the action force emanating from a (the) spiritual source. The term archetypes derives from the Greek arkhetypos, meaning beginning, origin and first place.8 Thin place principles are essential and comprehensive codes underlying the working function of an archetypal expression within a thin place. Ectypes are portrayals, models or patterns associated with archetypes. According to Robert Lawlor, archetypes are the principal or power-activity that is

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a process which the ectypal form and typal example represent.9 An archetype of the unity principle, for example, is the energy of wholeness experienced through common unity, and singularity of focus, or the attracting energy of centeredness. It dissolves aggregate parts into a singular totality, which is both coherent and inclusive. Ectypes are important to understand within the context of design as they are the building blocks, design patterns and design guidelines for thin placemaking. Archetypes also assume universal images of the collective unconscious.10 These archetypal images assume many different spatial forms from intimate forest clearings, springs and oases to islands, caves and mountain tops, Figure 3.2. Other natural archetypes include edges such as at cliffs, canyons or beaches and other bodies of water. Built or human-made archetypes include skyscrapers, treehouses and fortresses. Architectural elements can also be archetypal in nature that include floors (relating to the earth), walls (relating to surrounding habitation or specific orientations) and roofs (relating to the sky and universe). According to Thomas Thiis-Evensen, spatial archetypes manifests as a phenomenon in relationship to existing cultural and personal associations.11 With these archetypal images, there is an immediate sense of the whole that arouses the senses. In another analysis by Brill and his students, they found that most charged places tended to reflect “sacred mountains,” “walled-in gardens of paradise” and “journeys through time.”12 Other place archetypes found in literature and place settings include the “well,” the “rock,” the “tower,” the “bridge,” the “castle,” the 3.2 Archetypal places: (a) an island, (b) an oasis, (c) a mountain top, (d) a cave

 

 

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◼ PLACE “cave,” the “underworld,” natural “hot springs,” the “crossroads,” an “island,” an “oasis,” an “edge” and the “path.” These tend to be positivistic and identifiable geographic or landscape features. They also can be considered situational archetypes through conflict, monologue or dialogue to spatial situations. These archetypal metaphors support experiences that are inspiring, nurturing and transforming. The castle, for example, represents the energy of strength and protection, a crossroads is a place of decision, the desert is the energy of purity and self-awareness, the garden is fertility, harmony and new birth, water is a mystery and the underworld is the energy of darkness. The differing place archetypes possess distinct formal characteristics and typically support different functions. Trees have a long history of archetypal energies in part due to our original ancestorial place of habitation and arboreal lifestyle. Though controversial, the Savanna Hypothesis suggests that human bipedalism evolved from our move from the prehistoric rain forests to the savanna in the Rift Valley in East Africa more than 4 million years ago, trees still played an important role as a survival advantage shaping human evolution.13 In Ireland, the tree, especially the oak tree, played a central role in daily life as the forest was seen to be full of spirits. The Celtic Tree of Life, “Crann Bethdh,” was a symbol of fertility, strength, stability and wisdom, Figure 3.3. The oak tree was also called “daur,” meaning door, or the door to the “other world.” 3.3 Archetypal symbols: (a) tree of life, (b) Celtic Trinity knot, (c) stone symbol

 

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Similar to the Tree of Life is the Celtic Knot that represents the interconnection of life and our place within the universe. The Celtic knot and stone reliefs are also archetypal symbols representing the interconnectedness of the world around us. The archetypes are important to understand in these varying ways as they create a diversity of emotional responses and positive outcomes. Behind the various physical forms are embodied principles which gives them specific archetypal energy and meaning. Mountains have long been considered sacred archetypes representing deities, power, heavenly assent and dwelling places of the Gods. Mountains were considered sacred because physically they were closest to the heavens. Mount Olympus in Greece, Mount Sinai in Egypt, Mount Roraima in Brazil and Dakpa Sheri in Tibet are a few of the many sacred mountains worldwide. In Fuji, Japan its active volcano is a guardian. In China, there are five sacred mountains, the peaks of East, South, Center, West and North – Tai Shan, Nan Yo, Sung Shan, Hua Shan and Heng Shan – associated with the five elements wood, fire, earth, metal and water, and the colors green, red, yellow, white and black. These mountains are all centers of pilgrimage and have been regarded as sacred from time immemorial. There are four Navajo sacred mountains found in Arizona (San Francisco Peaks and Hesperus Mountain), Colorado (Blanca Peak), New Mexico (Mount Taylor). Robin Waterfield in “Theology of Arithmetic” explains that numbers are divine principles, and by extension are allegorical with inspirational powers.14 There are the five natural numbers (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) and the prime spatial archetypal principles that inform the design of thin places. Similar to Joseph Campbell’s “The Masks [ectypes] of God [source of archetypes]” archetypes are external depictions of the inner spiritual dimensions.15 The Unity Principle describes two alternating actions – the outward emergence and division of unity into harmonic parts, and the inward dissolving of parts into the thin place experience of a comprehensible whole or singularity. The Generative Principle describes duality, multiplicity, organic growth, celestial characteristics and the natural extension within the thin place. The Formative Principle describes varying ordering systems with geometric, grounding, verticality and spatial quality giving identity to its form. The Corporeal Principle grounds thin places in orientation, scale, functionality and into pragmatic, substantive and material realities. And the Re-generative Principle describes transformative and mutable qualities of the veil usually resulting in luminous experiences through active participation.16 1. Unity Principle – wholeness, harmony, atmospheric presence, proportional integration, centering quality and sense of “Other.” 2. Generative Principle – duality, diversity, multiplication, connection, resonance and extension to the participating pattern elements. 3. Formative Principle – Mother of Form, structure, order of space, dimensional qualities and thin place formation. 4. Corporeal Principle – known as the “Mother of Substance” with concrete volumetric, material and pragmatic realities, function and scale. 5. Transformative Principle – temporality, transformation and qualities of rebirth and renewal, luminous qualities and active ceremonial participation.

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◼ PLACE The Unity Principle, or as it sometimes is related to as the creative principle, describes the relationship between the individual parts and the whole of a composition within a thin place. It investigates the aspects of a given place that are necessary to tie the composition of either natural or built elements, to give it a sense of wholeness, or to break it apart and give it a sense of connected accord and integration. The primary functions of this principle are to transform the thin place patterns and elements into the unity of oneness, and to emerge or divide intelligibly and harmoniously into multiplicity from wholeness. The Unity Patterns relate to the essential conception as a seed and act as an impetus for the creative birth of the power of the initial place schema. The patterns are attracted to and emerge from a center, moving and connecting outward, bounding or containing the territory in a porous way and then defining the domain or dwelling area of the place launching the thin place experience. Passage is the opening of the centering process. Centering is a redirect of internal energy and an increased focus of attention. Reaching outward into greater levels of harmony and unity extends the thin place to the full quality of the experience. While bounding serves to contain the experience. Constantinos Doxiadis called that area between a circle’s center and circumference the “domain,” the place of dwelling.17 The Unity Principle also relates to the atmosphere and spirit of a place – a quality that creates a unified, homogenizing and common experience. The Generative Principle emerges from Unity and gives further dimensionality to a thin place experience. The Generative Principle is the power of division of unity where one becomes two and the progression into multiplicity. This principle also represents diversity and growth. The word “emanation” comes from the Latin e-manare, “to flow forth.” This principle is related to the metaphor of the root, which is the power from the germ to descend, involve and transmute from below. Further, it can be related to the symbolic, historic and mythical content of a site. The Generative Principle transforms through sequential intelligence. It embodies both the phenomenon of duality and proliferation or procreation. As an informing energy for thin places, the generative patterns find celestial connections such as in movement of the sun, moon and constellations. This Principle affects the spatial character of a thin place by enhancing its splendor, grace and beauty. This process is enhanced by uninterrupted views from within and to the dominant patterns of the space. The Formative Principle is also known as the “Mother of Form.” It is the formative power-giving rise to the polygonal world and the orders for the measures of the Earth, time and thin places. It is related to process of completion where both shape and time are given form. For thin places this usually means the creation of spatial vastness or intimacy, and a slowing of time. The Formative Patterns inform thin place designs through the accumulating ordering systems – geometric, structural, spatial, ecological, natural and celestial patterns, as well as changing perceptions of time. Therefore, the defining characteristics of sacred space are developed, shaped and given specific properties. Geometry underlies all thin places. At each scale, this means that geometry organizes the circulatory and spatial character of the place. As an informing energy for thin places, the generative patterns find direction within the place, cohere with the ground, reach upward and outward as in

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a sunset. Nature and ecological flows can further influence spatial order especially in the context of nature-based applications. The formative principle shapes the thin place experience. The Corporeal Principle is bodily and of the material world and, therefore is known as the “Mother of Substance.” Since it is bodily and material, it relates to the tangible volumetric world of objects, shapes and forms; yet it is very closely aligned with the substance and material construction of these three-dimensional forms. The dynamic aspect of this principle is the physical manifestation of a thin place. The Corporeal Patterns provide an anchoring into a pragmatic, physical and tangible reality through attention to orientation, scale, function and the substantive characteristics of the material world. These are often referred to as the “real world” determinants to a design; they are not theoretical or idealistic. Orientation situates on a given site. Scale is a system of sizing and in the context of thin paces refers to the degree of spatial vastness and intimacy. In both natural environments and built settings this principle informs the idea of Heaven (spirit and Other) on Earth (thin place). The Regenerative (Transformative) Principle occurs when a thin place is activated, and the veil becomes extremely thin and porous. It relates to growth by addition and multiplication – a process that is integral to most natural and human systems. The Regenerative (Transformative) Principle is invested with a new and higher spiritual nature, which includes the experience of the numinous. The Transformative patterns act as a catalytic opportunity for a higher experience through transitional passage through the veil from the secular into the significant, from the everyday to the ineffable quality of a place of wholeness, and finally from a place of passive participation to active ceremonial presence. There is a change from a lower to a higher state of being. Transformation generates cycles that initiate, grow, expand, excite or calm that eventually require accommodation. There is a fine line between these archetypal metaphors and ectypes. Archetypes are universally known with generalized character traits and positive energies, while ectypes model more specific patterns that represent and define them. Archetypes, that are applicable to thin places, inform the degree to which the place is whole and unified, its ability to connect in diverse and site appropriate ways, its spatial structure and ordering devices, its response to tangible and physical ways, and finally the way in which the experience occurs over time with ceremonial participation. They are the First Principles or fundamental propositions informing thin place design. While the source drives the intention and function of the archetypal principles, it is ectypal patterns that produce the greatest form of expression as they constitute the properties and attributes of a charged or thin places. They are the guidelines and building blocks of place design. ECTYPAL PLACE PATTERNS Ectypal thin place patterns describe energetic qualities and patterns of physical designs. In The Fate of Place, Edward T. Casey suggests that place (Topos) and time (Chronos) are cojoined in a state of perpetual being (Aionios). Casey goes on to suggest that placemaking is to recreate the first place or a reflective creation myth.18

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◼ PLACE Michael Brill echoes this idea of first place and a resulting mythic consciousness.19 According to Christopher Alexander, the elements of his “language network” are organized in sequence entities called “patterns” that exist from larger to smaller patterns – from niches and porches to neighborhoods and cities.20 In his A Pattern Language published in 1977, there were 253 patterns, with at least 75 patterns relating directly to biophilic attributes and thin place characteristics. In Chambers for a Memory Palace, by Lynden and Moore, certain patterns like “axis that reach,” “gardens that civilize,” “light that plays,” “shapes that remind” and “borders that control” were illustrated reflecting thin place characteristics.21 Similarly, Vitruvius in his De architectura, discussed patterns such as containment, direction, elemental and physical materiality, celestial references, and order and proportion to name a few which are also integral to thin places.22 Research into place patterns was published by Texas A&M University M(Arch), MS(Arch) and PhD in Architecture students and placemaking patterns were generated forming a basis for the 20 patterns used in this work (Joseph in 2006, Rodrigues in 2008 and Shafer in 2012).23 The most recent work of Terrapin Bright Green identified 15 biophilic patterns in which the latest one was the pattern 15 representing “awe.”24 Their awe pattern was defined as stimuli that defy an existing frame of reference and lead to a change in perception. In a series of works by the architect and architectural educator Michael Brill and his students at the State University of New York at Buffalo, they showed that a sacred, or in their words, a “charged” site, could contain a common set of fundamental characteristics by which the sacred was revealed.25 Brill suggested that these places created an ancient stirring within us, an original feeling, where there is a wave of sensory unity and mnemonic remembering. Brill goes on to say that charged places elicit feelings that are intensely real, involving all the senses, are elevated in tone, and extremely personal from deep within. Brill found place-­creation myths associated with these charged places that carry cosmic narratives and models of place.26 They identified a series of terrestrial patterns that routinely accompanied such places, and he and his students developed a set of guidelines for these charged sites or thin places gaining even greater dimensionality and allowing more easily transformative processes to be achieved. Figure 3.4 identifies ectypal patterns associated with entries, floors, walls and ceiling of existing examples. From far away, the west façade of Cologne Cathedral appears to have flat-shaped Gothic arches, but when up close the arches become threedimensional and form an external entrance or pause space and creates a sense of passage. The China Wall both excludes and contains, and a domed ceiling reflects the heavens above. In Michael Brill’s patterns, the ectypes are place-defining diagrammatic elements that include a distinct passage experience that functions as a neutral place of pause both entering and exiting, and acknowledged center with fixed location and boundary. An identifiable boundary reveals different meanings among the directions, and a clear orientation or focused direction, that is, understood as qualitatively different. The spatial order is revealed through rhythms, a succession of spaces, and the geometric patterns that organize the space, like an imago mundi. There is a connection to the ground and the underworld, and to levity or design elements

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3.4 Ectypal patterns: (a) corbeled entrance, (b) a patterned floor, (c) a historic wall, (d) a domed ceiling

 

  that reached upward, similar to the axis mundi. The presence of cared for and benevolent nature found within is what we now refer to as a biophilic attribute. The celestial connections express the seasons and reveal cycles of the sun, moon and planets. The places possess discriminating views of positive elements like gardens, the sky and water features, while obscuring any profane or distracting references like parking lots, streets and derelict spaces. There is a special sense of the materiality that maintains a physical unity and does not erode, withstanding natural forces of weather and continual use. Brill suggests that the materials in a charged place are unique or hard to find. The place contained qualities of light that are dramatic, directed, diffused and filtered. And finally, the place involves ceremonial participation and, in the context of experiencing sacred place, it is accompanied by a consecrative act, such as a form of communion, meditation or simply a quiet moment, and usually requires some form of accommodation. The thin place patterns presented in this work were originally used to analyze of Serenbe Community located southwest of Atlanta, Georgia, where the 20 ectypal patterns were related to the first five principles.27 Refer to Figure 3.5, which illustrates in diagram form the 20 thin place patterns followed by a list and descriptions. To cultural historian John Addington Symonds, there is a progressive obliteration of space, time, sensation and self-awareness.28 This is when the veil between the ordinary and the sacred seems to become sveltely thin and awareness, including the place patterns, dissolve away. These diagrammatic patterns are ectypal in that they represent

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◼ PLACE 3.5 The 20 thin place patterns diagrams

archetypal principles and common and integral emplacement characteristics found in thin places either natural or constructed. A summary of the thin place patterns follow: 1. Passage and threshold 2. Center and centering 3. Connecting and extending outward 4. Differentiated bounding 5. Symbolic, mythic or historic content 6. Nature within 7. Celestial presence, order and awareness 8. View discrimination 9. Geometric order 10. Groundedness and going down

11. Verticality, ascension and reaching upward 12. Spatial character and quality 13. Orientation and finding direction 14. Functional intentions 15. Scale 16. Physical materiality 17. Presence of the terrestrial elements 18. Living color 19. Light and luminosity 20. Ceremonial participation

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The place patterns help enable the process of emplacement, where perception is enhanced, awareness is sharpened, the sense of nearness occurs, one becomes increasingly more present and transformation of experience occurs. Symonds goes on to say that there is a progressive obliteration of space, time, sensation and self-awareness.29 This is when the veil between the ordinary and the sacred seems to become sveltely thin and awareness, including the place patterns, dissolves away. These diagrammatic patterns are ectypal in that they represent common and integral emplacement characteristics found in thin places either natural or constructed. A summary and description of the patterns follow:30 1. Passage and threshold – passage is a distinct neutral space of pause, clearing and awakening. It is a transition between the secular and sacred realms and is an entering and departing from a thin place. 2. Center and centering – centering is both a process and a place. As a process centering a clearing, focusing, tuning into to self, body and place. As a place, the center can be highly visible and accessible, or it can be obscure, something to be discovered in time. It fixes the location and gives reference. 3. Connecting and extending outward – from the center connections to the thin place and its veil can be made by reaching outward to spirit and place-defining elements, such as boundaries, views, nature, color and light or celestial wonders. 4. Differentiated bounding – place boundary is defined by different meanings, orientations, edge-markers and bounding forms, such as trees, rock formations, changes in elevation, walls, buildings or other built forms. They must be clear, staunch and place defining boundaries. 5. Symbolic, mythic or historic content – this pattern contains layers of personal, historic or cultural meaning and significance inherent within a given place. 6. Nature within – nature here has beneficial manifestations of plant, animal, geological, atmospheric or celestial elements. Beautiful flower gardens to monumental landscapes and wishing wells to large urban parks all express nature. This includes a rapt attention to nature. 7. Celestial presence, order and awareness – these include connections to the day and night skies revealing diurnal and seasonal changes, lunar cycles, constellations in the heavens and other celestial phenomena, such as lunar eclipses, shooting stars and the Northern Lights. 8. View discrimination – the formal aspects of the thin place provide positive views of intimate settings, expansive panoramas, geological features, urban settings and extraordinary buildings. This pattern also obscures those views that distract like mundane landscapes, parking lots or derelict buildings. 9. Geometric order – this pattern expresses the domain as place-organizing geometries within the thin place. Grids, axis, gradients, spatial hierarchies, and complexity create controlled comprehensibility, but not overt control. What is considered “sacred geometry” can help lead to transcendent experiences.

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◼ PLACE 10. Groundedness and going downward – this pattern suggest that a thin place is connected to the ground, the Earth and the underworld. There is a firmness (terra infirma) and substantial emplacement. In architecture this occurs with footings, foundations and elements that touch the earth and express our connection to it. 11. Verticality, ascension and reaching upward – this pattern entails vertical elements either natural or constructed or external stimulating an ascendant gaze. In nature they typically takes the form of mountains, rock outcrops, tall trees and cloud formations. In architecture they are skyscrapers, monuments, towers, columns, roofs and lighthouses. The upward movement “reaches to the heavens.” 12. Spatial character and quality – this patterns relates to the rhythmic successions of spaces, and to the character as expressed by the orders of space from spatial random to chaotic. Other orders include simplicity, ambiguity and complexity. Spatial quality is expressed with grace, generosity, vastness, intimacy or beauty. 13. Orientation and direction – the siting of a thin place can focus on the sun, sky, land contours, geomantic fields, Cardinal directions, landmarks, views, natural or urban features. This pattern relates the participant with source and charged quality of the physical place. 14. Functional intention – this pattern pertains to the intent and activities contained within a thin place and its explicit purpose (natural park, monument, or wellness site, burial site, sight-seeing, meditation, religious function, historic place-marker, social or cultural activities). 15. Scale – scale measures relativity between participant and place, and scale varies from vastness to intimacy. Scale of a thin place relates to the human body as well as the expansiveness of the natural or urban environment, from small and intimate settings to monumental and cosmic scales of experience. 16. Physical materiality – this is the material organization and expression of the place. In order to be enduring, a thin place must not erode, deteriorate or fall in disrepair. Natural materials remind us of their living past and a connection to their vital life energy. 17. Terrestrial elements – direct sensual experiences of the elements – fire, earth, air, water and ether – are phenomenal, formless, and always moving and changing in state. They are often mesmerizing and captivating, like watching a bonfire or surf. 18. Living color – this is experience of natural colors found in nature, flowers, animals, sunsets, rainbows, blue skies and the Northern Lights. What makes it living color is its vibrant, vivid, natural quality and aliveness. 19. Light and luminosity – light is dramatic, natural filtered, diffused or directed light that marks the passage of time and illuminates significant places within. Complementary contrast of light and shadow contributes to the mystery and experience. Reflected flickering light is particularly transformative. 20. Ceremonial participation – this pattern suggests direct experience of the place through contemplative, ritualistic or social interactions opening to a sacred experience. The participation and emersion can be something that is momentary or something that lasts over a longer period of time.

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1. Passage Passage is the transition from ordinary space or secular realm into a thin place or sacred realm separated by the veil within a thin place. Passage is both a means of accessing and entering a thin places but also serves as a place of pause and orientation.31 This passage not only represents physical movement between the two, but also suggests a conscious and emotional transition as well. Passage as a pattern has physical and spatial characteristics and is considered a neutral space separate from the secular or sacred spaces. This neutrality serves with both the crescendo of anticipating, preparing and entering, and the decrescendo of departing, accommodating and reassimilating a thin place experience. The passage pattern is a distinct and separate space or moment with either implicit or implied thresholds. Examples are natural passages and pinch-points, doorways, foyers, forecourts, vestibules or passageways. In some rural churches, for example, there are intimate entrance structures that house benches for momentary seating before entering or leaving the church yard. Part of the function of the passage pattern is to let go of stress and reduce temporal density before entering a thin place. 2. Center and Centering The center can be nonspatial, physical or experiential. As a nonphysical expression, the center represents a single source, eminence, an invisible origin and possibly, the “Other.” As a physical expression within a thin place, it can be the focus of a natural feature like a special tree or plant, garden, a rock outcrop, water feature, crater, mountain top, sunset, mound, or opening in the forest. In built thin places, the center can be a light, sculpture, labyrinth, flag, tower, building, market, plaza, fountain or historic marker. It serves as a focal point and elicitor usually with either an intense activity and meaning or an incredibly tranquil energy. Centering process is a clearing, focusing, tuning into to self, body and place. It includes concentration and focus of energy, and elimination of nonvalue-added thoughts or activities. In coming from the secular and profane world, it is a founding in the sacred world. 3. Connecting and Extending Outward The connecting pattern is the relationship, communication and resonance between the participant and the center or origin of the thin place experience. This is enabled through the full range of senses (auditory, haptic, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, vestibular and proprioceptor). This connection can either be vast or extremely intimate depending upon the nature and function of the thin place. Viewing a colorful sunset over a mountain range or a solar eclipse will primarily be a visual experience, while sitting next to an intimate brook or a fountain will primarily be an auditory and tactile experience. The pattern suggests physical measures that reinforce this connection by removing obstructions and providing view corridors, pathways, or landscape elements between the passage and entry point and the center or initiating event. 4. Differentiated Bounding The bounding pattern is extremely important in placemaking. The boundary has a comprehensible surrounding edge with a fixed relationship to the spatial domain and center giving the place a sense of enclosure, containment, clarity and identity.

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◼ PLACE The bounding pattern can be solid, permeable, and defined by either natural or built forms. Its circumscribing can be complete or partially defined around a thin place but serves to contain the sacred or charged energy. A differentiated boundary does not remain the same around its perimeter, but rather has particular elements that reflect and define entrance/exit, direction, orientation, or other special meanings and features of the site.32 It must help maintain the sanctity and charge of the thin place within the context of secular space. Bounding examples are plentiful including walls, fences, buildings, tree lines, rock formations, dramatic elevation changes, water and other natural features. 5. Symbolic, Mythic and Historic Content This pattern brings the symbolic, spatial, geographic, ecological, cultural and historic connections to place, and can be the source of strong emotional responses. Symbols represent sacred notions, relationships and life situations. They can affect the thinness of the veil. Symbols can be intrinsic with universal qualities (space, color, shape, proportion or light) or can be culturally derived (meaning, legions, stories, myths, events or historic significances). At the larger scales symbols elicit a collective identity to place, and at the smaller and individual scales it elicits a personal more intimate emotional response. Historic or heritage significance to place include those sites that resulted in great change over long periods of time or dramatic singular events impacting large numbers of people.33 Examples of this pattern include sacred mountains, waterways, wells, buildings, structure and locations where religious, political, military, cultural or social history has occurred. 6. Nature Within Nature within has strong ties to the biophilic effect, and within thin places it is often one of the most powerful elicitors of numinous experiences. Nature within includes places of natural scenery – vast, unusual, colorful and beautiful landscapes, places that are compellingly serene – intimate, personable, familiar and small-scale spaces, and places of memory, that are historic landscapes, important landmarks and places of cultural significance. They also include natural processes like diurnal changes, the procession of seasons, and weather events. While nature has both beneficial and destructive effects, for thin places, nature within is safe, compelling, mysterious, awe-inspiring and beautiful. Examples are endless, including “green spaces” flora and fauna, foodscapes, the animal kingdom, geology of a region, “blue spaces” (streams, rivers, ponds, lakes and oceans), and “celestial spaces” (sunsets, moon phases, night starlit skies and Northern Lights). Wild awe found also in nature is beneficial under safe conditions. 7. Celestial Presence Observing the celestial heavens is an ancient practice and reveals the movement of the sun, moon, constellations, comets and other heavenly bodies. It was a source of mystery, metaphors, stories, origin and ascension myths (cosmogony), dwelling places of the Gods, and the unexplainable. It also had more pragmatic functions such as the Earth’s movement around the sun being responsible for seasonal variations and movement around the axis creating dawn, day, dusk and night. These dynamic celestial activities marked the passage of time, growing seasons, rising

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and falling of tides, and special moments in time, such as solstices, equinoxes, eclipses and lunar gazing. As a thin place pattern, they produce a sense of awe and wonder, celestial beauty (sunsets, rainbows, shooting stars and Northern Lights), and they act as windows into the immense size and complexity of space and give us perspective and humility. 8. View Discrimination The visual content of thin places is extremely important, however thin place experiences can be interrupted by unwanted views. View discrimination is especially important in the design of thin places in order to maintain the quality of the experience. Simultaneous views to both secular and thin place realms would break the magic, energy and charge of the sacred place. Religious architecture has employed small and high windows to obscure the ground plain and the use of stained glass that enables light to enter the space while masking undesirable views to the outside. View discriminating techniques glazing treatments, screens, landscape elements, and shading devices, as well as emphasis on encouraging positive views especially to source elicitors. This pattern is particularly important in built and urban environments where the spaces surrounding a thin place can be chaotic, vapid, noisy and visually distracting. Unobstructed views to vast elicitors is equally important. 9. Geometric Order The geometric order is the spatial and physical arrangement of either natural or constructed elements of the place. Geometric ordering systems vary from random and complex to simple and ambiguous. They provide shape for the procession into a thin place, spatial structure of the thin place itself, functional relationships, proportional systems, patterns and ratios, as well as symbolic meanings. Typically, within thin places the space can be organized by a combination of orders that form the formative or metaphorical fabric, such as random (wildflower meadow or river bottom), nucleated (forest clearing or plaza), circumferential (mountaintop or lighthouse), linear (view corridor, street or canyon), grided (garden or street pattern), lateral (ocean sunset or cliff rim edge) and vertical (star gazing or tower). Geometric order gives structure and emphasis (sometimes exaggeration) to a thin place. 10. Groundedness and Going Down The pattern of groundedness is related to the Earth and is terrestrial by nature. It represents a place that is material, deep and enduring. Any chaotic character of the underworld should be avoided. Groundedness is terra infirma and expresses to stability, sturdiness and physical emplacement (situated and connected). Fertility is another manifestation of groundedness, exemplified by Newgrange Passage Tomb. Soil fertility is a by-product of the bacteria and other microscopic forms of life that teem in incredible numbers in the soil. Emotionally, groundedness is a felt sense with the experience of silence, calm, soulfulness and presence with instincts intact. It anchors one into a safe place of healthy detachment. The underground or underworld is a shadowy place seen as dark, dense, damp, mysterious and a

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◼ PLACE place of burial. Going down related to gravity and descent. Examples include wells, caters, waterfalls, caves, foundation and retaining walls, columns and pilons, roots, gardens and agriculture. 11. Verticality, Ascension and Reaching Upward The pattern of verticality is the path from below to that which is above, and this path transitions to the less dense and ethereal. For thin places that occur in both nature and the built environment, it is one of the more important patterns, and has a salience over other physical dimensions. As a metaphor, it is the axis mundi – the connection between the Earth (the human, tangible and substantial) and Heaven (the Godly, celestial and intangible). The emotions of this pattern are related to transcendence, awe, excitement, zeal, and connections to a divine influence. It is the internal experience of something that “in-spires.” Ascent is an important quality of this pattern either physically or by vicarious elicitors. In nature reaching upward is found with the stars, sun and moon, clouds, birds, mountains, volcanos, cliffs, gorges, geysers and trees, and in the built environment it is found with light shafts, columns, stairs, towers, cupolas, spires, obelisks, light houses, skyscrapers and even elevators. 12. Spatial Character and Quality The pattern of spatial quality is in relation to the rhythmic successions and spatial character of a thin space whether it is natural or built.34 The spatial character varies from vastness and spatial generosity to intimacy and a sense of refuge. Spatial organization can be ironic or simple in expression or it can be complex and ambiguous. It relates to the nature and distribution of patterns and pattern elements throughout a thin place. This includes the spatial qualities, for example, vastness, generosity, intimacy, luminosity and use of color. In nature the quality could mean the homogenizing effect of a single exaggerated natural element like sand, or a complex biodiverse environment like a rainforest. Authenticity, truth in expression, memorable identity, material integrity, sensuality, breathtaking (in awe places) and comfort (in serene places) are spatial qualities of thin places. 13. Orientation and Direction The orientation pattern relates the participant with source and charged quality of the place. This pattern connects source, participant and the terrestrial directions in qualitative ways. A thin place orientation is a sympathetic resonance between participant and surroundings and ambient environment, while the at the same time points and directs movement to the source or elicitor. Certain orientations and directions are considered sacred, such as eastern altars in Christian churches, the qibla wall in Islamic mosques oriented to Mecca, or native American sweat lodge entrances facing west. Our bodies are a measure that gives us orientation with front and back, left and right side, and up and down. To Michael Brill, these directions are not equal and have different meanings.35 The directions outward (Pattern 3), downward to the ground or Earth (Pattern 10) and upward to sky or Heaven (Pattern 11) serve important functions is thin place design. Orientation can also be directed to a vast or serene view, natural, historic or urban feature, eliciting awe at one end of the emotion scale, and serenity at the other end.

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14. Functional Intention The function of a thin place varies greatly and is subject to either a human purpose or one that is naturally or divinely inspired. The functional pattern suggests that the purpose, intention, occasion or activity contributes to the thin place experience. Functions typically associated with thin places include celestial observation sites; tourism and site-seeing, and places that stir or calm; spiritual renewal, remembrance, religious and worship sites and healing and wellness, and contemplation sites. The functions seek to elicit different emotions from the differential scale (awe, wonder, inspiration and astonishment) to the more passive dispositional scale (serene, content, reverence and peacefulness). The spatial characteristics of a thin place relate directly to these functions (spatial form follows function), where the nature of the charged place is correlated to the function and activities that are contained within it. Common to all thin place functions is the process of transcendence and connections to either a higher or inner presence. 15. Scale Both natural and built thin places occur at varying scales that are both objectively and subjectively experienced. Scale refers to the relationship and measure of the order of magnitude among natural and built elements of the environment, including people. The degree, number or quantity, size, range, spread, height and distance are all dimensions of scale. Human scale is related to anthropomorphism or the attribution of the human body (shape, height, face, hands and etcetera). The urban scale is modeled by built elements (cities, neighborhoods, streets and buildings), and by natural landscape elements (mountains, valleys, deserts, and even the micro-scale of plants, animals and minerals). The celestial scale is expansive, even infinite, and occupies the macro end of the perceptual scale found in thin places. In thin places scale plays an important role in eliciting both awe emotions that are created by the perception of vastness and serene experiences elicited by safe, peaceful and intimate places. 16. Physical Materiality Physical materiality is physical presence of the substances that make up a thin place. The physical nature of a thin place transforms from the tangible and more dense qualities of the physical place dissolving to the less dense ethereal. In order to preserve a thin place, it must be enduring and not erode, deteriorate, or fall in disrepair. Stewardship and care of either a natural or built thin place is important. Most constructed thin places utilize natural materials wood, stone, adobe and clay tile, yet the material that contributes to the numinous is glass. Extraordinary examples of contemporary urban architecture employ modern, often innovative materials. According to Michael Brill, the physical materiality of charged places should not be the same as those in secular space.36 Materiality of built thin places also involves use of nontoxic materials and conscious building and attention to detail and maintaining the golden thread between initial inspiration and final completion. 17. Terrestrial Elements Terrestrial elements are seen as being mutable and in constant change comprised of fire, air, water or earth in descending order of density. Fire is in an igneous, air is gaseous and atmospheric, water is liquid and easily changes state, and earth is

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◼ PLACE solid and substantial. Aside from their physical qualities, the elements in ancient times were assigned certain qualities: fire was assigned choleric qualities (arousal), air was sanguine (excitability), water was phlegmatic (detachment) and Earth was melancholic (seriousness). Fire produces light and warmth; air produces stillness, breezes and wind; water is something we drink, bathe in, wash and are blessed in it; and earth is substantial and associated with land, ground, soil, dirt and minerals. From a thin place viewpoint, the elements represent dynamic, changeable qualitative characteristics of form contributing as an experiential trigger like flickering flames, flowing water as with a stream or rain, and moving clouds. 18. Living Color Living color is a pattern that is abundant in nature, found with flora, fauna, forest, meadows, animals, sunsets, rainbows, blue skies, the Northern Lights, water, lakes and oceans, and with materials of the built environment. They are colors that have a life force, and they are perceived to be alive. The varying electromagnetic wavelengths of light produce a band of different colors from ultraviolet to infrared. These in turn have differing effects on psychological functioning, especially those related to thin place experiences from the differential to the dispositional scale of emotion. Vivid colors in the differential emotions scale tend to be the warmer more excitable colors (white, red, orange and yellow), while in the dispositional scale, they are cooler (black, blue, green and violet). Pigments made with natural dyes (indigo, turmeric and saffron) are vibrant, biodegradable and made from plants, animals and minerals. 19. Light and Luminosity Light brings visibility to thin places. Light manifest in multiple ways including naturally filtered, diffused or directed to illuminate significant places. Night skylight is mysterious and thought-provoking. Light also marks the passage of time from the changes of seasons to the daylit hours of the day. Both the quantity and quality of light are in effect. Luminosity is the measure of radiant power and in thin places it relates to the emittance of light or emanation from a source (stars, sun, campfire or candle), and can be facilitated by frames or openings such as a natural clearing, or a building’s window, skylight, cupola or oculus. Light communicates levity and joy as its radiance has a quality of silence. Light in concert with shadow gives definition giving cues about depth and position. Light is the single most powerful thin place elicitor and source of transformation. Light elicits both awe and serene emotions often in very differing ways through its different qualities or light from the more stimulating sunlight and storm light to moonlight and starlight. 20. Ceremonial Participation Ceremonial participation is the direct and deliberate civil or spiritual observance, interaction or commemoration within a thin place. Within natural thin places, these interactions can be spontaneous, less structured and highly personalized. They are ritual-place occasions and can entail celebrations throughout the making of the thin place, including its groundbreaking and consecration at the completion of the process. In more familiar spaces with everyday access the participation can become a tradition or become ritualized, daily (as in meal preparation) or even annually

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3.6 Mayday celebration

(as in birthdays). Ceremonies of this nature can be as simple as a moment of silence, a pause, conscious breathing, quiet meditation, birth rituals, dinner blessing, praying, lighting a candle, forest bathing, celebrating religious observances, or dancing the Maypole (Figure 3.6). Michael Brill suggests that this ceremonial participation is a repeating of the first divine act of the creation of the world, and in new construction should be accompanied by a consecrative act.37 THIN PLACE PATTERN ANALYSIS Thin places can be examined using an objective process that looks at the archetypal principles and ectypal patterns. The thin place analysis uses the simple Likert scale, originally developed by psychologist Rensis Likert in 1932 to rate the degree to which a pattern is present and the quality of that presence within thin places.38 Normally this method utilizes a questionnaire, but in this case, the analysis and the scaling responses are determined and evinced by the designer or evaluator reviewing each case study. A level of agreement or disagreement is documented as to either the presence or the quality of expression of each of the ectypal patterns according to principle category within which they are listed. A scale of 1–5 is used for capturing the spread of difference. Each of the 20 patterns was assigned a numerical value of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) assessing both the presence (quantitative) and the quality of expression (qualitative) separately. The typical Likert scale is as follows (Table 3.1): 1. Strongly disagree – the pattern is not visibly present 2. Disagree – the pattern is barely present with little impact 3. Neither agree nor disagree – the pattern is present with some impact 4. Agree – the pattern is quite visible with experiential impact 5. Strongly agree – the pattern is highly present with a large impact

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PRINCIPLE (Archetypal)

PATTERN PRESENCE PATTERN EXPRESSION (Quantitative Ectype) (Qualitative Ectype)

Unity

1–5

1–5

Generative

1–5

1–5

Formative

1–5

1–5

Corporeal

1–5

1–5

Regenerative

1–5

1–5

Table 3.1 Thin Place Pattern Analysis

Analysis of a thin place in regard to its presence refers to the extent that the particular principle and corresponding pattern exists within the design and the degree to which its presence is perceived to inform the design framing of the subsequent experience. Similarly, the analysis of the quality of expression refers to the perceived contribution of that pattern to the intensity and profoundness of nonnumerical characteristics of the thin place experience. This occurs either through being in the actual place or recollection of personal experiences of the place or experiencing a place like it. It can be evaluated through a projection into the thin place case study by looking at photographs, drawings and images, such as “reading” the plans. Designing thin places also gives insights into the experience of the various patterns. Review of relevant literature of similar place-types can produce further supporting information. A summary of the number values give a sense of how each of the patterns are functioning. Values for the analysis occurred through a combination of the following methods, which converge into a process of discernment: 1. Direct experience – is immediate sense perception while visiting and experiencing a thin place firsthand, and is shown to increase enjoyment, deepen the understanding, create immediate responses, and be instrumental in active learning, as well as producing “enhanced affective responses,” and often cannot be put into words,39 2. Journaling – is an effective method of documenting feelings and insights as well as describing the context of numinous experiences and the patterns that support them. The daily diary approach is a way of translating feelings, dreams and experiences into words,40 3. Plan reading – is a deep dive into looking and reading photographs and drawings through the lenses of each of the ectypal patterns, and similar to an architectural “critique,” it employs critical observation skills and pattern recognition identifying both expressions and qualities embodied within the work, where a picture is worth a thousand words,41 4. Drawing embodiment – is the physical and visceral act of squinting (seeing in a simplified and acute way), scanning (seeing or tracking in a systematic way), culling (partitioning whole into pattern groups) and drawing the patterns (morphological insights),42 5. Planning and design synthesis – is the immersive, interactive and synthesizing process that accompanies design, where emersion into the design process has its own distinct “things to know, ways of knowing them and ways of finding

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out about them,” There can be an inciteful connection between the mind and the physical process of design.43 6. Literature search – is a systematic process of observations of design elements, features and experiences of the places and authentications found in published Internet posts, blogs, articles and books, and extrapolating project information, evidence-based designs and origins of seminal concepts. It too, reveals the historic foundation of ideas, concepts, methods, designs and seminal leaders in the field,44 7. Visualization – is the imagining a whole or detailed parts creating mental imagery that helps to grasp abstract concepts and accelerates learning, understanding and memory retention; what thoughts, feelings and energy is received from looking; and is it also is used to mentally rehearse an action or experience of the pattern, and45 8. Subjective response – is gut-level responses to either a thin place or a design suggesting visceral interactions, motivation, higher cognitive function and decision making caused by reflex circuits contained within the enteric nervous system. This includes “intuitive intelligence” with unconscious somatic processes and inner resources. Do the patterns feel charged?46 While the archetypal principles inform and frame the intentions of a place in efficacious ways, and express divine energies or reflect the iconic, overarching and essential form concepts, such as the cave, tower, bridge, crossroads, fortress, or well, it is the physical ectypal patterns that produce the more detailed articulations of form. And too, their uniqueness, materials, construction, detailing, craftsmanship, durability and harmonic integrative qualities, also contribute to the experience. These are contributing factors in the difference between secular and sacred places, especially with the dominant elicitors. There are two lenses through which to view and evaluate the patterns – objectively through their physical presence and subjectively through their quality of expression. It is important to understand that these lenses relate to the thin place patterns and their formal characteristics and not to the immeasurable or divine energy of a sacred place. The evaluation suggests two questions: are the patterns experientially present and does their quality elicit the numinous emotions? 1. Pattern Presence – is a quantitative perception and emphasis on entities, measurements, amounts and frequency. For thin places, it is the identification and description of the existence of the various patterns, a detailed geometric analysis and a measure of their ease of comprehension, magnitude, discernability, definition and perceptual obviousness. This will vary between vast and serene places. Is the pattern discernably present or dominant? – a positivists/ post-positivist viewpoint. 2. Pattern Quality – is a qualitative dimension emphasizing relationships, socially constructed reality, situational constraints and aesthetic qualities. For use in the context of thin places, it is the value-laden measures of the placemaking patterns, with limited defects, embodied value, purposefulness, high performance and with aesthetic qualities. Does the pattern contribute to vastness or serenity? What is the perceived experience of the pattern, its quality of expression? – a naturalistic proposition.

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◼ PLACE In addition to the presence and quality of expression of individual patterns, two other characteristics contribute to a thin place experience. As particular patterns, for example: scale, spatial structure, boundary, verticality and/or light, are present and exaggerated, they produce more dramatic and impactful effects. First characteristic is the combinatory effect of each of the patterns complementing or giving energy to one another, for example, the combination of a strong center and boundary, the elements, color and light as seen in Gabriel Passionist Parish Church, Toronto, Canada previously discussed. The place patterns combine and dissolve into a unified experience. Figure 3.7a shows a community bonfire with center (fire pit), boundary (chairs), fire (elemental energy source) and residents (ceremonial participation) combining to enhance the experience. And the second characteristic is the exaggeration or pattern generosity (in the case of vastness), for example, tall vertical elements, vast horizon, or an abundance of natural light. Figure 3.7b shows the main entrance to the Antinori Winery in Tuscany with its dramatic overhead canopy and oculus (reaching upward) and reflective glass façade (boundary). These examples represent the expression

3.7 Pattern effects: (a) combinatory effect of multiple patterns, (b) exaggerated pattern effects with Antinori Winery, Italy

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of prime elicitors. It is this caricature that gives distinction, perceived vastness and hyperbole in the case of awe experiences and intimacy, refuge and peacefulness with serene experiences. These characteristics are particularly important in creating distinctions between ordinary places and thin places. 1. Combinatory Effect – is the result of synergetic phenomena, mutual advantages, cooperative action, cohesion, interactions and the combined greater effects the various pattern have with one another. This occurs with both awe and serene patterns eliciting their emotional responses. 2. Pattern Exaggeration – is the quality of the impact, the degree of exaggeration, the abundance and the intensity of emphasis of the pattern characteristic. Its generosity of scale, space, form, color or light contribute especially to the numonous experiences. Patterns that are exaggerated often include passage, center, boundary, verticality, light, spatial quality and complexity. It should be noted that the place analysis and pattern methodology can apply to all places whether they are profane or thin places. This suggests that for a space to be a place, it must be defined in certain ways. And for it to be a thin place, the defining characteristics must embody special qualities. What distinguishes them is the degree to which the patterns are present, how integrated they are, the quality of their expressions, and the energetic or spiritual presence. Recalling Belden Lane’s axioms of sacred place, the first axiom states that a thin place is not chosen, it chooses.47 The place and the patterns they possess only create the possibilities for a thin veil and the experience of the sacred. While the division of the placedefining categories and patterns give us filters through which to design and analyze thin places, it is important to understand that an integrated experience is at the heart of the thin places where the individual parts dissolve into an inclusive whole. It should be noted that the pattern analysis for the subsequent case studies was conducted by the author with some student assistance as a way of revealing the thinking behind and impact of the various thin place patterns through the previously discussed six discernment methods. 1. Place is a PLACE – a Thin Place exists in space and is physically determined. It may be dramatic as along the shelf of the Grand Canyon or it may be intimate as near a small spring or ground-sourced well. The place becomes fertile ground for a possible thin place experience to occur. There is a sense of place that gives definition, meaning and a relationship between people and to the spatial setting. 2. Place Defining – a Thin Place displays varying characteristics which contribute to a certain vastness or serenity of experience. These characteristics are informed by the nature and physical features of the site, the intentions or functions of the thin place or participant visiting the thin place, the cultural and historic contexts that may be present, and the archetypes these places reflect. Typically, they frame our perception of vastness or cradle our sense of serenity. 3. Sacred Experiences – are often referred to as sacred, spiritual, religious, mystical, subjective, or transcendent experiences. According to Belden Lane, the

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◼ PLACE places in which these experiences occur, choose; we do not choose. We may have the intention to create such a place or to have such an experience, yet crossing the veil is beyond our control. The experience often possesses an encounter with God, higher powers, divine energy, numinous awareness, or profound insight. THIN PLACE SPATIAL SEQUENCE Movement from profane spaces, ordinary places, placeless places, or sometimes called “thick places,” into a thin places is a passage pattern and the first to encounter in the thin place sequence. The space is neutral and clear and serves to facilitate the transition. It functions like a well-defined threshold, doorway or foyer and is part of the continuity between the two distinct realms. Other patterns often follow in a perceptible order or progression. The final pattern is either an individual ritual or communal ceremonial interaction within the place connecting to the extraordinary, transcendent or serene nature of the place. As previously mentioned, participation can occur through meditation, orison, prayer, intimacy, ritual, music, or simply existing in accord with the place. In their work on the sacred in everyday life, Rudolf Hester and Amber Nelson describe profane space as being thin on values and far from place, while sacred space is thick on values and near in place.48 This nearness creates a profound one-to-one correspondence between participant and source. The transition between secular space and a transcendent or sacred experience contains the thin place with its inherent patterns of emplacement and connection. Within a secular space, double forgetting occurs and suggests that we forgot that we forgot about this connection, creating a double-seal away from the experience of the sacred or the unknown. However, the combinatory and exaggerated patterns create a thinning process of the veil. In this instance the veil begins to become porous and dematerializes, and there can be a profound experience of insight, nearness, fascination, mystery and a sensing of Rudolf Otto’s “wholly Other.” Time slows down and there is a deepened sense of significance. The temporal density of thoughts, issues, considerations, problems and simply mental chatter begins to dissipate. It is replaced a singularity of excitement or with increasing peacefulness and a growing sense of presence. The place feels charged, and one is awakened from a kind of anesthetizing amnesia. The senses are heightened. John Steele’s concept of “psychic amphibians” occurs where feelings, experiences, ideas and spiritual insights from one realm (the sacred) are carried back and remembered in another realm (the secular), much like a waking dream or the surf receding along a shoreline. A Mnemosyne (named after the Ancient Greek goddess of memory) experience is a remembrance or remembering, a bringing back, and a passing on of lessons learned from a sacred connection or charged experience. In this instance, it is the remembrance progression occurring from the sacred experience of the thin place and returning back into the secular space of everyday life. This process is in part creates the need for accommodation or making sense of the experience by adjusting mental structures caused by the awe experiences that are mind-blowing

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or the serene experiences that are profoundly quieting. The spatial progression from a secular space to a charged space to a sacred space are described as follows: •

•

•

Secular realm – the context of profound space and everyday living and public life, survival, normal consciousness, routine, activities and many preoccupations. It is composed of ordinary space where time is relatively dense, and space is conventional, “normal,” unremarkable, and even tumultuous. The secular occurs both in personal and public life. Thin places – the distinct place bridging the secular and sacred realms where time begins to slow down, space becomes more porous and coherent, and there is an increasing feeling of nearness. Thin places can occur in either natural or constructed environments. Common to thin places is an energy or charge that is vast or serene and is often unexplainable. Sacred realm – the experience of the unknown, indistinct, immaterial, infinite and the wholly Other, yet it is sensed. Time seems to stand still, perceptions are enhanced and there is a strong sense of presence. Experiences vary from serene, peaceful, contemplative and calm to extraordinary, exhilarating, vast and even terrifying.

Figure 3.8 is a diagram expressing the three-fold experiential progression and serial sequence: from the secular dimension or realm (left circle) to thin places (center circle), and finally, to the experience of the sacred or transcendent dimension (right circle).49 The experience reverses as one returns to everyday life. It is a kind of anatomy of the thin place experience. Within the thin place are placemaking patterns that occur in either natural or built environments. In Michael Brill’s analysis, these patterns are present within a charged place, including in a thin place. 3.8 Thin place experiential and spatial processional diagram

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◼ PLACE There often is the sense that one has been there (within a thin place) before in another time – a déja vu. While thin places are characterized as svelte veils, they are spatial, meaning a thin place is a space with physical characteristics. According to Franciscan priest, Richard Rohr, “To take your position on the spiritual edge of things is to learn how to move safely in and out, back and forth, across and return.”50 Secular space is ordinary space which we experience every day, and this includes unremarkable places. According to Edward Relph, placelessness pervades the contemporary built environment with its soulless qualities that anesthetize the senses. It is characterized by monolithic concrete surfaces, spatial incongruity, lack of human scale, devoid of any redeeming meaning, falling into disrepair and absence of living things.51 Time is dense, and space can be fractious, complex, tumultuous, loud and infectious. With the increase in world population and a shift from predominantly rural to urban habitation, separation from nature is leading modern lives which have become increasingly fragmented and disconnected. Many denser, more urban cities have a dulling effect of the senses. The secular dimension is a physical place, a virtual space and/or a state of mind. It is here that connections to spiritual dimensions and the greater whole are often forgotten or at least suspended due to the preoccupations of everyday life: commutes, work, a focus on survival, or obsession of entertainment and social media, to name a few. Natural placelessness is a geographic territory devoid of four important ingredients necessary for healthy experience – diversity, authenticity, meaning and living nature. To Immanuel Kant, the beautiful consisted in limitation where the sublime represented limitlessness.52 This suggests that the profane experience of natural or architectural beauty exists in the secular while within a thin place experience goes beyond to an immeasurable realm. The secular or profane realm has several common characteristics that include the experience of double forgetting where we forgot that we are part of a greater whole. We experience temporal density when we are occupied with too many activities, tasks, ideas, feelings in a given time frame.53 Spatial tumultuousness occurs where space is chaotic, cluttered, agitated, disorganized and loud. We become infatuated with materialism where we are obsessed with possessions and the accumulation of too many objects. We spend too much time indoors with 80–90% of time each day keeping ourselves from direct connections to nature. We tend to focus disproportionately on survival and mere existence with time dominated by worldly issues, money and work. And we are obsessed by entertainment with too much social media, television and virtual realities. The sacred realm possesses its own characteristics contributing to charged experiences that include enhanced perception where the senses are heightened or enlarged, and there can be an extrasensory awareness. Being present – time slows down or momentarily stands still. The experience of nearness – sensing the presence of spirit. Experience of the “wholly Other” – feeling the divine. One can engage in double remembering where we remember that we are part of an inclusive greater whole where there is a break in the spiritual amnesia. We can

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have a psychic amphibious experience where feelings, experiences, ideas and spiritual insights are remembered and transferred from the transcendent back to secular. And we have numinous experiences with feelings of the vital, fascinating and mysterious. Awe expands the perception of time resulting in less impatience and greater presence.54 According to Beau Lotto, in order to get from “A” to “B” the first step is to not go to “B,” you have to go to “not-A,” letting go of “A” a place of the unknown in order to move on. This moment and process is one of the prime functions of the passage space in the sequence.55 It is a moment between the known and unknown, and the remembered and the imagined. The veil disappears and an inclusive wholeness is perceived. Following are a few examples of thin places and the exaggerated or dominant patterns that inform them: 1. The Grand Canyon – the exaggerated patterns for awe are its verge, going down (6,000 feet deep), spatial quality (expansiveness at 18 miles wide) and the expansive view. 2. The Oculus – the exaggerated patterns for awe are reaching upward (160 feet high, its luminous spatial quality (224 glass panels) and the whiteness of the space. 3. MIT Chapel – the exaggerated patterns for serenity are centering (raised alter and circular skylight), scale (intimate with 50-foot diameter), flickering light (focused over altar). 4. Istanbul Basilica Cistern – the exaggerated patterns for awe and serenity are its size (470 feet long), going down (underground) and elemental qualities (especially water). 5. Machu Picchu – the exaggerated patterns are its isolate location, bounding, grounding, reaching upward (with peak height of 8,835 feet), views and it historic past and cultural significance. THIN PLACE BENEFITS Thin places provide opportunities for healing, high-level wellness, spiritual renewal, mystery and addressing the meaning and purpose of life, death and our origins. There are even economic benefits to thin places. Benefits also include pro-­ environmental behaviors and an appreciation for natural beauty, our need to protect the environment and steward of such beauty. They include the history and cultural importance of many buildings, civic centers, sacred cities and historic sites like Mesa Verde or Machu Picchu. Where biophilia seeks to invigorate our relationship with nature, thin places can spiritualize this relationship, with awe and serenity as the primary experiential outcomes. As can be seen in the two recovery rooms of the Vidar Clinic in Yarna Sweden, and the analysis of Machu Picchu, the ectypal patterns can be applied to new and existing built works of varying sizes, types and functions. The degree of presence and the quality of expression contribute to the elicitation of awe and serene experiences. It is clear that there are benefits to the experience of positive emotions, especially awe and serene emotions, and that they have explicit connections to architecture. Additionally, these emotions can

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◼ PLACE occur in nature and attribution of the thin place setting whether it is a landscape or architecture that frames the experience. Spiritual connections to awe and serenity include the feeling of being one with others, with purpose, connections to local places and the larger world, containing an experience of transcendence and the energy of the five principles. A summary of many of the benefits that thin places can provide follows: •

•

•

•

•

•

•

Physical Benefits – lower stress and blood pressure, improved respiratory function, increase physical activity, lower obesity levels, weight management, increase healing rates, improved circadian cycles, improved cardiovascular health, lower addictions, and improved nutrition. Mental Benefits – improved cognitive ability and appraisal, increased focus and clarity of mind, increase resilience, reduced anxiety and negative thoughts, awareness of present moment (mindfulness), and reduced temporal density. Emotional Benefits – maintaining healthy relationships, improved mood, lower stress levels, experience of positive emotions (awe, serenity, contentment, wonder, and joy), resilience and positive coping, and experience of inner peace. Social Benefits – creating community, increase cooperation, benefits to others, increase generosity and altruism, empathy, compassion, helpfulness, enhanced collective concerns, creates a sense of safety, belonging and security, increase life expectancy, and the experience of pro-social behaviors. Financial Benefits – increased efficiency and productivity, increase job performance, reduced absenteeism, positive return on investments, increase facilities due to economy of scale, and reduced stress over financial matters and security. Environmental Benefits – lower air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner water, reduced noise, greater access to nature, increase of biophilic effect, improved biodiversity, disaster mitigation, and pro-environmental behaviors. Spiritual Benefits – the addressing of existential questions, increase self-­ transcendence, experience of wholeness, positive sense of solving problems, invigorated meaning and purpose in life, spiritual arousal, and increase of life satisfaction.

The Vidar Clinic, opened in 1985 in Yärna, Sweden, is an anthroposophical hospital designed by architect Erik Asmussen. The design was based on seven healing principles that include (1) unity of form and function, (2) experience made perceptible through contrast and polarities, (3) inclusion of formative patterns of metamorphic relationships, (4) intimate relationships to nature, (5) interplay and multiple functions of walls, (6) use of color luminosity from living pigments, and (7) variability of spatial experience. It has been shown that thin places can elicit either awe or serene emotions that are quite visible as illustrated in the two recovery rooms at the Vidar Clinic (Figure 3.9).56 They show the contrast of warmer colors that are more stimulating and invigorating in the recovery process and cooler colors that are more calming and serene in the healing process. In these examples, natural light, fresh air and views of nature also contribute to the quality of the therapeutic environment.

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3.9 Vidar Clinic recovery rooms (a) Awe color scheme, (b) serenity color scheme

The place archetypes and ectypes are intended to provide a way of identifying the physical characteristics and pattern attributes that give form to thin places, particularly built or constructed thin places. Further, the analysis method is designed to evaluate each of the pattern attributes as to their degree of presence and the quality of their expression. The patterns that are most present with the highest qualities can be benefits to designers who engage in designs of such places and aid in the formation of varying types of thin places. They are not intended to the unmask the quality of a charged or sacred experience. It should be noted that the experience of any place as thin will always be subjective, fleeting and possibly even unreproducible from visit to visit. For designers using the place patterns with the intentions of creating thin places is not a guaranteed process. The patterns are

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◼ PLACE merely guides and not the experiences itself. As suggested by Michael Brill, “there must be a set of common and fundamental characteristics by which these places reveal themselves as being sacred.”57 Machu Picchu, meaning “old peak” is hypothesized as an Inca citadel, royal estate and sacred retreat. It was most likely occupied from the mid-fifteenth to mid-sixteenth centuries, and today is recognized for its outstanding cultural and natural values. Its 200 structures housed religious, ceremonial, astronomical and agricultural functions. Most of the ectypal patterns are present at Machu Picchu. Passage, gate and entrance to Machu Picchu are dramatic and arduous. The trek to this remote site represents what is referred to as an awe walk, where attention is not inward but directed outward in anticipation of initially seeing this magnificent site. The mountain and rock escarpments give a distinct and differentiated boundary that is reinforced by the settlement perimeter walls. There is a center defined by the central plaza, sacred rock and Sun Temple. Reaching upward is certainly accomplished by the Inti Watana, Temple of the Sun tower and the Huayna Picchu. Internal order is linear and organized with terraces and thousands of stone steps moving up through the settlement. Nature is abundant even in its ruinous form with natural grasses in the center, trees around the perimeter, stone, clouds and sky. Refer to Figure 3.10 for what is referred to as the classic view of Machu Picchu from the south-looking north to Huayna Picchu. This wonderful United Nation World Heritage site is a good example of a thin place that still brings wonder, inspiration and awe to visitors today. By employing some of the analysis methods in this particular example, mainly plan-reading, visualization and literature search, the ectypal patterns can be identified in the photograph of Machu Picchu. Most of the ectypal patterns can clearly be seen in Machu Picchu (Figure 3.11), especially centering, bounding, reaching upward spatial order and materiality.

3.10 Machu Picchu, Peru

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3.11 Machu Picchu, Peru thin place analysis

SUMMARY While the Likert Scale analysis of the place patterns have been done numerous times with my architecture students over the years, the analyses here have been done by me using the place archetypes and analysis method involving multiple approaches as aforementioned - direct experience, plan reading, drawing embodiment, planning and design synthesis, literature search and subjective responses. The results are subjective on my part yet give an indication to my perceptions of the embodiment of the patterns through viewing and analyzing each unique case study. They are intended to act as general guidelines for thin place design at any scale. This method has been applied to each of the case studies that follow in order to provide a filter through which to understand the influences of the archetypal principles and operational effects of the ectypal patterns on thin place designs The following two parts apply the thin place pattern analyses to case studies representing extraordinary examples of architecture and urban design and to smaller-scale everyday settings. The scales vary from a chair to a village. Presented are many differing types, scales and functions of thin spaces, with case studies from civic and community spaces to religious and cultural building types, and finally from gardens, alcoves and altars to even chairs. The case studies and thin places are found throughout the world from Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, England, Scotland and Ireland to Turkey, Israel, Canada, Mexico, Omen and Tibet and several examples in the United States. The case studies also represent different landscapes including deserts, forests, mountains, hills, valleys, islands, rural sites, urban centers and entire communities. This is intended to reinforce the idea that thin places can occur anywhere and within any context. The numinous and both awe and serene emotions are further examined within the context of these case studies as well as the unique place patterns they possess. A number of case studies found across the world and at different scales

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◼ PLACE are presented. The thin place analysis is applied to these case studies identifying the degree to which each pattern is present and the quality of their expressions. The analysis highlights the archetypal principles and ectypal patterns that inform these case studies. They combine to suggest the spiritual characteristics and emotional elicitors of thin places. The key or most profound patterns are also identified and discussed. According to Julio Bermudez, thousands of years of history has shown that vast resources have been used to create architecture that facilitates access to states that are spiritual.58 The characteristics of place, including the patterns that inform them and their combinatory and exaggeration of presence, contribute profoundly to thin place experiences. The primary issues that emerge in ancient treatments of place have to do with genesis and purpose on the one side and with form and embodiment on the other.59 NOTES 1. Casey, Edward S., Getting Back into Place: Toward a Renewed Understanding of the PlaceWorld (Bloomington, IN: University of Indiana, 1993), p. 15. 2. Tuan, Yi-Fu, Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience (Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1977), p. 179. 3. Brill, Michael, Using Place-Creation Myth to Develop Design Guidelines for Scared Space (Self-published, September 25, 1985). 4. Casey, Edward T., The Fate of Place: A Philosophical History (Berke ley, CA: The University of California, 1997), p. 4. 5. Brill, Michael, The Origin of “Charged” and Mythic Landscapes – A Speculation (Selfpublished, November 6, 1991), p. 2. 6. Waterfield, Robin, The Theology of Arithmetic (Grand Rapids, MI: Phanes Press, 1988), p. 26. 7. Lawlor, Robert, Sacred Geometry: Philosophy and Practice (London, UK: Thames and Hudson, 1982), p. 8. 8. Archetype (Accessed July 10, 2022) https://www.etymonline.com/word/archetype 9. Lawlor, Robert, Sacred Geometry: Philosophy and Practice (London, UK: Thames and Hudson, 1982), p. 6. 10. Cherry, Kendra, What Are the Jungian Archetypes? (Accessed October 24, 2022) https:// www.verywellmind.com/what-are-jungs-4-major-archetypes-2795439 11. Thiis-Evensen, Thomas, Archetypes, Existential Expression, and Shared Experiences (Accessed July 10, 2023) https://www.idunn.no/doi/10.18261/9788215046419-2020-2 12. Brill, Michael, The Origin of “Charged” and Mythic Landscapes – A Speculation (SelfPublished, November 6, 1991), p. 2. 13. Judith Heerwagen, Biophilic Design, https://sftool.gov/learn/about/580/biophilic-design (Accessed March 12, 2020). 14. Waterfield, Robin, The Theology of Arithmetic (Grand Rapids, MI: Phanes Press, 1988), pp. 22–23. 15. Campbell, Joseph, The Masks of God (Accessed August 2, 2021) https://www.amazon.com/ Masks-God-Complete-Four-Set/dp/B001AVMTBQ 16. Tabb, Phillip and Senem Deviren, The Greening of Architecture: A Critical History and Theory of Sustainable Architecture and Urban Design (Farnham, UK: Ashgate, 2013), pp. xvii–xxi. 17. Doxiatis, Constantineos, Ekistics: An Introduction to the Science of Human Settlement (London, UK: Hutchinson & Company, 1968). 18. Casey, Edward T., The Fate of Place: A Philosophical History (Berkeley, CA: The University of California, 1997).

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19. Brill, Michael, The Origin of “Charged” and Mythic Landscapes – A Speculation (SelfPublished, November 6, 1991). 20. Christopher Alexander. Sara Ishikacca, and Murry Silverstein, A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1977). 21. Lyndon, Donlyn and Charles Moore. Chambers for a Memory Palace (Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1994). 22. Vitruvius, Marcus, De archituctura (Ten Books on Architecture) (Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 1960). 23. Joseph, Meanie, Arsenio Rodrigues & Christina Shafer, Graduate research studies at Texas (College Station, TX: A&M University, 2006–2012). 24. Ryan, Catie, Bill Browning and Phill Tabb, The Awe of Architecture: The role of biophilic design in creating thin places and restorative design, Living Future 22 On-Line Workshop, April 2022. 25. Brill, Michael, The Origin of “Charged” and Mythic Landscapes – A Speculation (Selfpublished, November 6, 1991), p. 2. 26. Ibid. 27. Barrie, Thomas, Julio Bermudez and Phillip James Tabb, Architecture, Culture, and Spirituality, “Secular Sacredness in Place Creation: A Case Study and Analysis of Serenbe Community” (London, UK: Routledge, 2015). 28. Horatio Forbes Brown, John Addington Symonds: A Biography; Compiled from His Papers and Correspondence (London, UK: Forgotten Books, 2017), pp. 29–31. 29. Ibid. 30. Barrie, Thomas, Julio Bermudez and Phillip James Tabb, Architecture, Culture, and Spirituality, “Secular Sacredness in Place Creation: A Case Study and Analysis of Serenbe Community” (London, UK: Routledge, 2015), pp. 189–195. 31. Brill, Michael, The Origin of “Charged” and Mythic Landscapes – A Speculation (Selfpublished, November 6, 1991). 32. Brill, Michael, Using Place-Creation Myth to Develop Design Guidelines for Scared Space (Self-published, September 25, 1985), p. 22. 33. Highfill, C. Page, Thin Places: and Five Clues in Their Architecture (Richmond, VA: EnterPaths Publisher, 2009), pp. 53–58. 34. Brill, Michael, Using Place-Creation Myth to Develop Design Guidelines for Scared Space (Self-published, September 25, 1985), p. 20. 35. Ibid., p. 19. 36. Ibid., p. 23. 37. Ibid., p. 24. 38. Edmondson, Diane, Likert Scale: A History (Accessed July 18, 2022) https://orion2020.org/ archivo/investigacion/Likert_History.pdf 39. Hope, Max, The Importance of Direct Experience: A Philosophical Defense of Fieldwork in Human Geography (Accessed December 16, 2021), https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/ pdf/10.1080/03098260802276698 40. Keltner Dacher, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life (New York, NY: Penguin Press, 2023), pp. 23–27. 41. Portico, Architecture Crits: What is an Architectural Crit? (Accessed December 16, 2021) http://portico.space/journal//architecture-school-critiques-reviews-what-is-a-crit 42. Rousar, Darren, The Value of Squinting (Accessed July 15, 2022) https://www.sightsize.com/ the-value-of-squinting/ 43. Cross, Nigel, Designerly ways of knowing (Accessed December 16, 2021) https://larossa.co/ cross_1982_designerlywaysofknowing.pdf 44. Grewal, Anju, Harnish Kataria and Ira Dhawan, Literature search for research planning and identification of research problem (Accessed December 16, 2021) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC5037943/ 45. Baumgartner, Jennifer, Visualize It (Accessed November 9, 2022), https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-psychology-dress/201111/visualize-it

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◼ PLACE 46. Mayer, Emeran A., Gut feeling: the emerging biology of gut-brain communication (Accessed July 22, 2022) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3845678/, and Science of the Heart (Accessed July 26, 2022) https://www.heartmath.org/research/science-of-the-heart/ intuition-research/ 47. Lane, Belden, Landscapes of the Sacred: Geography and Narrative in American Spirituality (Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1988), p. 19. 48. Hester, Rudolf and Amber Nelson, Inhabiting the Sacred in Everyday Life (Staunton, VA: George F. Thompson Publisher, 2019). 49. Tabb, Phillip James, Elemental Architecture: Temperaments of Sustainability (London, UK: Routledge, 2019), p. 118. 50. Rohr Richard, Rohr, Richard (Accessed September 5, 2021) https://cac.org/wp-content/ uploads/2015/11/4-ON-THE-EDGE-OF-THE-INSIDE.pdf 51. Edward, Relph, Place and Placelessness (Research in planning & design) (London, UK: Pion Ltd., 1984). 52. Kant, Immanuel,  Critique of judgement  (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007), p. 76 (Original work published 1790). 53. Steele, John, Geomancy: Consciousness and Sacred Sites (New York, NY: Trigon Communications, Inc., 1985). 54. Yaden, Kaufman, Hyde, Chirico, Gaggioli Zhang and Keltner, The Development of the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S): A multifactorial measure for a complex emotion (Accessed October 4, 2021), pp. 10–11. 55. Lotto, Beau, How we experience awe – and why it matters, TED2019 (Accessed July 18, 2022) https://www.ted.com/talks/beau_lotto_and_cirque_ du_soleil_how_we_experience_awe_and_why_it_matters 56. Coates, Gary, Erik Asmussen, Architect (Stockholm, Sweden: Byggforlaget Publishers, 1997). 57. Brill, Michael, Using Place-Creation Myth to Develop Design Guidelines for Scared Space (Self-published, September 25, 1985). 58. Bermudez, Julio, Deconstructing the Spiritual Experience of Architecture (Accessed Januar y 13, 2022) https://templetonreligiontrust.org/explore/ deconstructing-the-spiritual-experience-of-architecture/ 59. Casey, Edward T., The Fate of Place: A Philosophical History (Berkeley, CA: The University of California), p. 76.

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4 ARCHITECTURE Thin Places in Architecture and Urban Settings

THIN PLACES IN ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN SETTINGS Ether has always been a symbol of spirit, and is related to light, luminosity and inspiration. In architecture that possesses thin place characteristics, the ethereal conditions are informed by contrast in form, space, material and light. As a consequence, we experience special moments and feel the presence of something numinous. In doctoral research conducted by Julio Bermudez about the extraordinary experience of the Parthenon’s south façade, his respondents reported that they experienced insight, beauty, joy, satisfaction and peace (in descending order of impact).1 It is interesting that “insight” was the most profound experience. Insights are the gaining of the inner nature or deep intuitive understanding of the experience of a thin place – a kind of sixth sense. These extraordinary experiences produce physical, perceptual, emotional, intellectual and transformative shifts. Bermudez further posits that these profound experiences are outwardly driven ordinary or sacred experiences that impact us inwardly. Certain principles and patterns are common to both. Ordinary places, however, are less exaggerated or qualitatively expressed. The built environment, like nature, has the potential to create these profound experiences and perform as thin places, occurring beyond the corporeal, mechanical and functional concerns normally associated with buildings and urban settings. They become remarkable expressions of design. ARCHITECTURE OF THE NUMINOUS According to dictionary definitions, the numinous is related to the supernatural, filled with a sense of the presence of a divinity, and arousing or appealing to the higher emotions, and awakening an aesthetic sense. Recalling Rudolf Otto, these are the nonrational qualities of a spiritual experience including the mysterious, fascinating and terror and awe. Applied to architecture, the numinous is akin to Bermudez’s sense of the extraordinary quality found in significant works. Significant architecture usually assumes public programs and uses and is often larger in scale. Building types like museums, libraries, chapels, cathedrals, stadiums, memorials, airport terminals and institutional buildings are typical among the more significant building types. Most often these significant buildings are unusual, unique, impressive and striking as they elicit awe. They often are made from new and interesting materials and building technologies. Smaller examples are typically made from natural materials. They tend to be designed by signature architects. Figure 4.1a and b illustrates the interiors of two remarkable chapels – the Thorncrown and MIT Chapels. Figure 4.1c is Tadao Ando’s Church on the Water where there is no

DOI: 10.4324/9781003354888-4

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  4.1 Thin places in architecture: (a) Thorncrown Chapel, (b) MIT Chapel, Cambridge, (c) Church on the Water, Japan, (d) Brion Tomb, Treviso, Italy, (e) Vietnam War Memorial, Washington, DC, (f) Sunset Santorini, Greece, (g) Metropol Parasol, Spain, (h) Western Wall Jerusalem, Israel

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membrane between the chapel space and the pond beyond it. Figure 4.1d shows the Brion Tomb design by Carlos Scarpa which represents an earth-integrated cave with concrete shell-like barrel vault covering. It is the final resting place, the arcosolium, for Giuseppe and Onorina Brion, it mediates between earth and heaven, containing all the placemaking patterns. Figure 4.1e is the Viet Nam War Memorial in Washington, DC designed by Maya Lin. Urban sale examples of thin places include dusk in Ioa, Santorini with its colorful sunset, the impressive wooden structure Metropol Parasol that spans over the Piazza del Campo in Siena, and Jerusalem’s Western Wall on the side of the Temple Mount. These architectural and urban examples are quite extraordinary thin places displaying a wide variety of qualities from masterful play of light and generosity of space with impactful cultural and historic presence. The Oculus Building, designed by Santiago Calatrava opening in 2016, is a wonderful example of a public-spirited thin place with its soaring skyward positive form and breathtaking luminous interior, Figure 4.2a and b. While such a dramatic space, it has a surprising feeling and sense of quiet and serenity. It embodies the concept for hope. And it is a transit hub connecting to more than 12 subway lines and the PATH train. The National September 11 Memorial and Museum and the One World Trade Center in New York City together are another good example of a thin place working in tandem, Figure 4.2c and d. The tower is uplifting and optimistic 4.2 Thin places architecture in New York City: (a) the Oculus Exterior, (b) the Oculus Interior, (c) One World Trade Center, (d) 9/11 Memorial Pool and Fountain

 

 

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◼ ARCHITECTURE functioning as a historic place marker. The two pools, echoing the Twin Towers, are in direct contrast to the levity of One World Trade Center building, with the grounding and reverent soulful descent of water in the pool. The 30-foot granite pool walls and waterfalls form a boundary for the disappearing water. Designed by Michael Arad and Peter Walker, they conceptualized the design as “reflecting absence.”2 Notions of spirit and soul have often been used interchangeably, yet they do have clear distinctions. The Modern Movement in sacred architecture explored experiments that created different kinds of sacred experiences. Apart from ritual, worship and ceremonial participation in sacred buildings, the space itself, its architecture, contributed to a sacred experience. Aside from religious systems of belief, and denominational signs and symbols, these experiences were found to be universal. Two of these ways were described in the forms of spirited versus soulful experiences. Spirited or inspiring experiences were characterized with positive, uplifting, invigorating, spatially generous, light-filled spaces, often monumental, outwardly focused, immaterial and celestial in nature, unchanging, eternal and immutable with transcendent emotional content. Soulful experiences, on the other hand, were characterized by complexity, contradiction, mystery, reflection, introspection and indwelling with an inward focus, material and terrestrial in nature, sensual, always changing, enriched by the patina of time, and an animate life filled with deep emotional content.3 The case studies that follow are intended to illustrate primarily built contemporary thin place examples at varying scales although there are a couple natural and historic sites. The first example is the Piazza del Campo in Siena, Italy representing a cultural and historically established urban space. Thin place experiences occur on both personal intimate and the larger community scales. The second also in Italy is Civitella in Val di Chiana which is a hilltop compound with castle and cathedral, and multiple opportunities for thin place experiences. Thin place locations occur throughout the compound. The Irish Island of Skellig Michael is known for its sixth century Early Christian monastery and beehive-like stone huts which are still remaining. While originally experienced with a contemplative religious purpose, today it still possesses the excitement, wonder and awe-inspiring qualities. The Wadi Bani Oasis is located in the eastern region of Omen and is one of the most well-known oasis in Omen. Rothko and Ronchamp chapels are two similar buildings in size but have drastically different forms of sacred experience: an outward exhilarating and inspiring connection to the divine, and an inward more contemplative focus on an individual reflective emotions. The Twilight Epiphany Skyspace by James Turrell is an extraordinary purpose-built thin place in Houston, Texas with a pavilion canopy and open oculus juxtaposed to the night sky. The StarHouse is a mountain spiritual retreat built to celebrate the changes of seasons and celestial movements of the stars. Its design and construction processes also incorporated thin place considerations. And lastly, the La Estancia Wedding Gardens and Glass Chapel and the Ecumenical Chapel are located in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico express luminous designs. Small in scale and encased in ethereal glass panels, they embody and clearly express the concept of a thin place.

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Each case study is described and illustrated with photographs and has a diagrammatic plan showing the disposition thin place patterns. The case studies conclude with a thin place comparative analysis of the five guiding principles and 20 ectypal patterns. The Likert Scale analysis for each of the case studies was conducted by the author and colleagues and should be considered with that subjectivity in mind. The purpose of the analyses are to illustrate a wide variety of thin places and to provide guidelines and show an aggregate evaluation of the presence and expression of each of the ectypal patterns that contribute to each design and the types of numinous experiences and emotional responses they elicit. CASE STUDY: THE PIAZZA DEL CAMPO IN SIENA, ITALY Thin places are found at the scales of entire cities, central squares, historic places, memorials, parks, streets and monuments. Thin places commonly occur in welldesigned civic spaces throughout the world in part due to their social, cultural and historic nature. The Siena Campo is a good example of a city civic space that functions as a thin place. The square was arranged in the twelfth century and was initially used as an open marketplace. The center has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Refer to Figure 4.3 view of the Campo from the northwest. Approaching from the higher topography around Via di Citta through one of the 11 passages. The small openings, such as Vic S. Paolo, initially compress the experience which then expands into the breathtaking semicyclic city square. A mixed-use pedestrian walkway surrounds a slightly sloping nine-fold geometric shape originally designed to represent the original governors and to resemble the Virgin Mary’s cloak. What makes the Campo a thin place? The physical place-defining characteristics make it an urban oculus that includes its powerful positive space. The architectural bounding, the compressed entering passage spaces, the place marking 4.3 Piazza di Campo panorama

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tower and the multiple civic events held there over the course of the year are also contributing elicitors. These combine to create an intense emotional response. Surrounding the Campo are 17 contrade (neighborhoods or districts) that function as a microcosm of the central piazza. Each contrade has a local piazza typically framed by a chapel, museum and animal symbol reference. They form a particular historic and cultural component to the function and nature of the central campo. Figure 4.4 illustrates the piazza site plan overlaid with the thin place patterns and adjoining contrade. Developed by Peirce F. Lewis and explained by Belden Lane are the axioms and narrative for sacred place in which the third axiom, sacred place can be tread upon without being entered, is visible in the Campo.4 This axiom can clearly be seen and experienced within the Piazza del Campo where secular and numinous activities occur separately and contrasted by the exhilarating Palio bareback horse race on a thick dirt circumferential path held twice a year to an intimate gathering or luncheon experience in the center of the space. An awe emotion is experienced during the Palio due in part to the highly intense contrade competition. Figure 4.5a and b illustrates the contrasting difference of spatial use of the Campo from the intense Palio horse race with large public attendance. The Campo is also used as a public space, sitting at one of the cafes along the edge, or to small intimate group settings found throughout the Campo. Each share similar patterns of place. Figure 4.6a–c illustrates tight, pinch-point passageway to the campo, the sky reaching tower in front of the sun and the contrade fountain and animal symbol – the unicorn. The 20 ectypal place pattern descriptions and analysis for the Siena Campo follow (Table 4.1): 1. Passage and threshold – the 11 pinch-point entrances surrounding the piazza provide anticipation, an intimate pause and then emphasize the dramatic entrances to the Campo space (A, B, C spatial sequence),

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4.4 Thin place patterns analysis plan

ARCHITECTURE  ◼ 4.5 Siena Campo: (a) Palio di Siena, (b) intimate setting in the Campo center

2. Acknowledging a center – the plaza itself in the center of Siena, radiating ninefold geometry, the Gavinone (the central water drain), the Fonte Gaia and the tower entrance at the bottom of the piazza, 3. Extending outward and connecting – the sense of the neighboring contrade surrounding the piazza physically, historically and psychologically, 4. Differentiated bounding – the surrounding four and five-story buildings, the road (Il Campo) and pathway around the perimeter, activated and protected canopies over shops and cafes, and the adjacent contrade give meaning and differentiation, 5. Symbolic or historic content – the thirteenth-century campo and nine divisions held symbolic reference to the rule of “The Nine” (Noveschi) who laid out the campo and governed Siena. The Torre del Mangia symbolically protects the city, and the 17-mythic contrade surrounding the Campo, 6. Nature within – essentially an urban space, day and night sky are the prominent connection to nature,

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◼ ARCHITECTURE 4.6 Thin place patterns: (a) passage, (b) tower, (c) Leocorno (unicorn) Fountain located East of the Campo

  

7. Celestial presence and awareness – seasonal movement of the sun with the dramatic Tower of Mangia’s shadows moving across southern end of the campo, crenellations atop Palazzos Pubblico, 8. Discriminating views – from surrounding buildings views of the campo and Palio are dramatic and obscure any views outside the piazza, 9. Geometric order within – the geometry of the space is semi-circular, and amphitheater-like with its clear nine-fold division, 10. Going down and groundedness – the slope of the shell-like piazza, its brick surface, and the Fonte Gaia fed by spring-sourced water along underground passages (Bottini), 11. Reaching upward and levity – the Torre del Mangia (bell tower) is 335 feet (102 meters) high,

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PRINCIPLE (Archetypal)

PATTERN (Ectypal)

PRESENCE (Quantitative)

EXPRESSION (Qualitative)

 

1

Passage

5

5

UNITY

2

Center & Centering

5

5

PRINCIPLE

3

Connecting

4

4

 

4

Bounding

5

5

Average

 

 

19

19

 

5

Symbolic

5

4

GENERATIVE

6

Nature Within

2

2

PRINCIPLE

7

Celestial

2

2

 

8

Views

3

4

Average

 

 

12

12

 

9

Geometric Order

4

4

FORMATIVE

10

Going Down

4

4

PRINCIPLE

11

Reaching Upward

5

5

 

12

Spatial Quality

5

5

Average

 

 

18

18

 

13

Orientation

3

3

CORPOREAL

14

Function

4

5

PRINCIPLE

15

Scale

5

5

 

16

Materiality

4

5

Average

 

 

16

18

 

17

Elemental

4

4

REGENERATIVE

18

Living Color

4

5

PRINCIPLE

19

Luminosity

4

4

 

20

Ceremonial

5

5

Average TOTAL

   

   

17

18

4.10

4.25

Table 4.1 Siena Campo Pattern Analysis

12. Spatial quality – is vast eliciting awe emotions and large in scale compared to the other urban spaces, 13. Finding direction and orientation – the piazza is physically in the center of the city, and is oriented southeast and downhill along natural contours of the land, 14. Place function – originally planned as an open-air market, today it is a civic, and cultural meeting point, 15. Scale – at the intimate scale visitors and users experience the passage spaces, sit at perimeter cafes or often sit on the red brick surfaces of the center of square, 16. Physical materiality – the prominent Campo surfaces (piazza and building facades) are brick, 17. Terrestrial elements – fire (in the form of sunlight), earth (the brick surfaces) and water (fountain) are more prominent while air and ether are more subtly present,

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◼ ARCHITECTURE 18. Living color – there are natural earth colors – brick walls and pavers (Burnt Sienna), and day and night skies, 19. Light and luminosity – the changing quality of natural light within the Campo and dramatic shadows cast by the southern buildings and tower throughout the day and 20. Ceremonial participation – the space used for civic, social and cultural purposes as well as the Palio celebrating a combination of profane and religious elements of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The thin place analysis of the archetypal principles and ectypal patterns for the Siena Campo were based on the Likert scale. Each of the 20 patterns was assigned a numerical value of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) assessing both the presence (quantitative) and the quality of expression (qualitative) separately. The Unity and Formative Principles scored the highest and the pattern presence (4.10) scored slightly lower than the pattern quality of expression (4.25). Among the highest scoring patterns were passage, centering, bounding, symbolic content, reaching upward, spatial quality, scale, living color and ceremonial participation. The lowest principle was the Generative Principle and the patterns receiving the lowest numbers were nature within and celestial presence, both of which are due to the urban and dense nature of the Campo location. It could be concluded that the centrality of the place, passage into and the containment of the piazza, the tower, and the spatial quality (scale, color and materials) contribute greatly to the numinous experiences, especially awe. Summary The awe and serene emotions exist within the Siena Campo yet in very different ways. Because the Unity and Formative principles are highly visible, they energize the spatial form, public functions and ceremonial activities. They contained the highest scoring patterns, especially passage, centering, bounding and ceremonial participation. The Campo defines a powerful and sizable contrasting negative space that is open within the denser and more compact surrounding urban fabric. The archetypal and iconic form derives from the symbolism of a womb seen as a public room and meeting place with common well representing the social resources necessary for community survival, endurance and prosperity. The well is not a major design feature of the square but is a symbol of life and the center of community life. Squares are usually used with public and common purposes to the entire population, in general, ceremonies, public events, commercial market activities, celebrations, culinary functions, artistic representations and with the Palio di Siena. On the intimate side, it is a place to discover, visit and have a coffee, sit and engage in conversation with friends or to simply enjoy people-watching by yourself. The final ectype of ceremonial participation is the purpose, function, engagement and symbolic collectivity central to the experience of the Campo. Taken together they elicit awe emotions through the perception of vastness in contrast to the dense urban fabric of Siena. Wonder, astonishment and magnificence also derive from the experience. The awe experiences associated with the space are likely to have physiological effects including the diminished sense of self, intense

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wonder, changing perception of time and a strong sense of connectedness eliciting pro-social behaviors. It is difficult to assess the need for cognitive accommodation, yet an experience like this, especially with the first encounter, could affect mood in positive uplifting ways, and the experience may not fit into normal mental structures, therefore requiring a certain level of adjustment. Incredible experiences occur during the competitive Palio horserace among the contrade communities, including exhilarating, joyful, hectic and even fearful emotions. In a study by Cristina Capineri et al., the Campo di Siena was the most frequented site in the city and the highest scoring positive emotional responses were enjoyable, beautiful, active and peaceful, while the negative responses were hectic (overcrowding) and harsh.5 And COVID had a profound effect on Siena, especially in the early stages of the pandemic. Yet a spontaneous movement ensued while in residents were in lock down and quarantine. People came out onto their balconies and started to play drums and trumpets, and to sing in solidarity across the streets to one another. This case study illustrates the multiplicity and simultaneous overlapping of secular communal space and individual spiritual experiences. Both awe and serene experiences can occur in this space. The spectacular and intimate co-exist as do both awe and serene emotional responses. The patterns that seem most exaggerated are centering, centering, bounding, spatial character and color. Lot of words can be said but this square is an amazing one as it is enclosed from all sides, kids just love it, with brown pigeons (yes brown feathers) flying all around you, time just stops.6 CASE STUDY: CIVITELLA VAL DI CHIANA, ITALY Civitella in Val di Chiana is a medieval village compound located southwest of the province of Arezzo in Tuscany. What makes it an interesting case study is that the village compound is home to a number of thin places. Larger scaled applications that are polynucleated offer multiple locations for thin places to occur. The linear ridgetop settlement is sited on one of the highest hills in the Val di China and is anchored by the castle on the west end and Santa Maria Assunta (church) and the Piazza Don Alcide Lazzeri on the other. The hilltop and fortified walls surrounding the village form a near perfect oval originally giving it a military settlement boundary, enclosure, identity and containment. It was strategically located to provide control of the surrounding territory. In the central part of the compound on the south edge is the Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini overlooking the valley below. Each of these places offer potentials for quite different thin place experiences – including those of remembrances, religious ceremonies and social interactions, and culinary delights. Civitella has a population of 9,091 (2013) inhabitants, called Civitellini, and a surface of around 62 square miles (100 square kilometers) thus showing a population density of 86 inhabitants per square kilometer. It is 18 kilometers from Arezzo. It rises 918 feet (280 meters) above the sea level. The local economy is mainly based on the production of cereals, chestnuts, grapes, olives and on the activity of numerous industries for the production of clothes and wood manufacturing. The first settlements in the area of Civitella go back to the Etruscan and Roman Ages, as testified

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◼ ARCHITECTURE by the numerous archaeological finds came to light and dating back to those times. It is one of the best-preserved of the network of Lombard fortresses of the sixth and the seventh century in central Italy. The church of Santa Maria Assunta (eleventh century), finished in Romanesque style in 1252. Civitella is known for what was called the Civitella Massacre by German soldiers that occurred in June of 1944. The aerial drawing shows the linearity of the oval shaped village, Figure 4.7a. The village as a whole has thin place characteristics. The walls of the village date back to the twelfth century and create a strong boundary. Originally there were two access doors to the castle: the Porta Aretina and the Porta Senese which differentiate the boundary. So it is with the defining boundary, entrance passage points, polynucleated plazas and the two towers that give Civitella coherence and a strong sense of place. The old fortress and castle site with its archetypal tower-like forms reaches upward while the stone walls ground it to the Piazza Becattini. Although the fortress was destroyed during the German bombing in World War II, large portions of the tower still remain, Figure 4.7a and 4.8a. The Romanesque Church of Santa Maria Assunta was originally constructed in 1000. The Bell Tower was destroyed by 4.7 Civitella Val di Chiana: (a) aerial drawing, (b) photograph from the northeast

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bombs during the World War II and has since been rebuilt. Throughout the village form the church to the castle plazas occur and can function as thin places. Several are pictured in Figure 4.7b including the dominant the church node at the east end of the village. The medieval La Cisterna, is located at the end of Piazza Martiri della Libertais placed on a five-tiered octagonal platform. Rainwater collection and the cistern were essential for centuries with no water sources inside the town, and they were the hub of the community. A Santa Chiara Study Centre faculty luncheon that occurred at the Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini in 2011 was magical in part due to the Italian cuisine and part because of the beauty of the place. The long wonderfully set dining table pointed to the view of the valley to the southeast up the Val di Chiana, Figure 4.8b. While the views down the Val di Chiana created awe emotional responses, it was the communal outdoor dining that can created more intimate and sensual serene emotional experiences. The village as a whole place has thin place characteristics. The walls of the village date back to the twelfth century and create a strong identifiable boundary. Originally there were two access points to the village: the Porta Aretina and the Porta Senese which help differentiate the boundary. So it is with the defining boundary, entrance passage points, polynucleated plazas, the connecting pedestrian spine (arcade) and the two towers that give Civitella coherence of form and a strong sense of place. The old fortress and castle site with its archetypal tower-like forms reaches upward while the stone walls ground it to the Piazza Becattini. Although the fortress was destroyed during the German bombing in World War II, large portions of the tower still remain and is considered one of the best conserved fortifications of Lombardic origins, Figure 4.6a. The Romanesque Church of Santa Maria Assunta was originally constructed in 1000. The Bell Tower was destroyed by bombs during the World War II and has since been rebuilt. In the center of the simple façade built in traditional Tuscan stone, is a bronze door by the contemporary Florentine artist

4.8 Civitella, Italy: (a) Castello remains, (b) Piazza Don Alcide Lazzeri well

 

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◼ ARCHITECTURE Bino Bini. The medieval La Cisterna, is located at the end of Piazza Martiri della Libertais placed on a five-tiered octagonal platform, Figure 4.8b. Rainwater collection and the cistern were essential for centuries with no water sources inside the town, and they were the hub of the community. Analysis of the Civitella site plan shows the five obvious thin place nodes where possible thin place experiences are likely to occur (numbers 1–5 in Figure 4.9). They include: (1) the fortress castle tower and perimeter walls, (2) the Piazza Becattini, (3) the Piazza Don Alcide Lazzeri and cistern, (4) Santa Maria Church and (5) Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini. The dual stone monolithic towers of the castle are striking reaching upward to the sky with only some of its medieval defensive structure and a huge tower in ruins. The emotional responses to the fortress are a mixture of excitement, wonder, sadness, remorse and melancholy creating mood changes that often accompany heritage experiences. Piazza Don Alcide Lazzeri, on the other hand, is a wide pleasant square with its octagonal cistern standing in front of the church. It has a more friendly sustaining quality. The cistern cascades upward on five octagonal concentric steps. The Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta has been renovated many times over its life and thin place experiences are centered around religious ceremonies including Sunday services, weddings, funerals and spiritual festivals throughout the year. The main pedestrian street, Martini di Civitella, connect the church and castle, and along it are museums, restaurants, clubs, hotels and civic life. So, there is a strong sense of connection. Thin place experiences are either social or personal. And lastly, the La Botteghina restaurant, like many Italian restaurants, was a sensual culinary experience eliciting both awe and serenity. Ceremonial participation is varied, but in the case of the Santa Chiara Study Centre faculty luncheon that occurred at the Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini in 2011, it was magical in 4.9 Civitella thin place site plan

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4.10 Civitella Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini luncheon: (a) night view of terrace, (b) faculty luncheon

   part due to the participants and part because of the place. The luncheon occurred in the Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini, Figure 4.10a which had a commanding view to the southeast up the Val di Chiana. The long wonderfully set dining table accommodated the entire faculty and pointed to the view of the valley, Figure 4.10b. While the views down the Val di Chiana created an awe emotional response, it was the communal outdoor dining that eventually created the more intimate, serene and sensual experiences. The patterns that seem most exaggerated are views, grounding and reaching upward. The 20 ectypal place patterns for the Civitella Village follow (Table 4.2): 1. Passage and threshold – the village is highly visible and approachable by automobile in center of the valley, carparks are located around the perimeter, and pedestrian access connects upward into the village proper, 2. Centering – as the village is a linear oval-shape with two opposing centers (fortress and church), additionally there are several other centers (usually piazzas) found through the fabric of the place, 3. Extending outward and connecting – the multiple centers are connected by pedestrian walkways and streets, and there are multiple views outward into the valley, 4. Differentiated bounding – being on a hilltop the village is bounded by retaining walls and the Val di Chiana below and the olive groves surrounding it, 5. Symbolic or historic content – the village was originally inhabited by Romans and occupied as a fortress in the sixth century, so it has a varied and long history, but mainly as a fortress village, 6. Nature within – essentially an urban space, dominated by buildings and streets, but there are gardens and lawns within and trees around the perimeter, 7. Celestial presence and awareness – seasonal movement of the sun with the dramatic Tower of Mangia’s shadow moving across southern end of the campo, crenellations atop Palazzos Pubblico,

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PRINCIPLE (Archetypal)

PATTERN (Ectypal)

PRESENCE (Quantitative)

EXPRESSION (Qualitative)

 

1

Passage

4

4

UNITY

2

Center & Centering

5

5

PRINCIPLE

3

Connecting

4

4

 

4

Bounding

5

5

Average

 

 

18

18

 

5

Symbolic

4

4

GENERATIVE

6

Nature Within

3

3

PRINCIPLE

7

Celestial

2

3

 

8

Views

5

5

Average

 

 

14

15

 

9

Geometric Order

4

4

FORMATIVE

10

Going Down

5

5

PRINCIPLE

11

Reaching Upward

5

5

 

12

Spatial Quality

4

4

Average

 

 

18

18

 

13

Orientation

4

5

CORPOREAL

14

Function

4

5

PRINCIPLE

15

Scale

4

4

 

16

Materiality

5

5

Average

 

 

17

19

 

17

Elemental

4

4

REGENERATIVE

18

Living Color

4

4

PRINCIPLE

19

Luminosity

4

4

 

20

Ceremonial

4

5

Average TOTAL

 

   

 

16

17

4.15

4.35

Table 4.2 Civitella Pattern Analysis

8. Discriminating views – there are views internally of the castle and church, and commanding views of the Val di Chiana in all directions, 9. Domain and geometric order within – the geometry of the village is linear, gridded and polynucleated with an organic elliptical shape, 10. Going down and groundedness – the slope of the of the hill and the retaining walls upon which the village is sited gives a sense of grounding, 11. Reaching upward and levity – the village and hill as well as both the fortress and cathedral have towers that reach upward, 12. Spatial quality – the village has both vast and intimate spatial qualities given its dominant valley and hill siting and its densely compact urban scale and nucleated form, 13. Orientation and direction – as originally planned, the fortress is oriented to defensive views up and down the valley, generally elongated in the east/west direction,

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14. Place function – originally planned as a Roman outpost, occupied as AngloSaxon and Medieval villages, an early Christian site, its contemporary use is as rural agricultural and commuter village offering tourist and religious thin place activities, 15. Scalar context – the Val di Chiana, hill and village are more monumental and vast scale, while within the village are more intimate scale passageways, nodes and activities, 16. Physical materiality – the physical nature of the site is as a hill, the retaining walls, the cobblestone streets and plazas, and the brick and stucco of the Tuscan buildings contribute to its material qualities, 17. Presence and awareness of the elements – fire (in the form of sunlight), earth (the brick building surfaces and streets), water in terms of the well, air experienced in the street grid and ether as an overall aesthetic quality of the place, 18. Living color – there are natural earth colors – brick walls and pavers, and Tuscan brown stone and tan, white and yellow colored stucco, 19. Light and luminosity – the changing quality of natural light within plazas and dramatic shadows cast by the southern buildings and tower throughout the day and 20. Ceremonial participation – the space used for civic, social and cultural purposes as well as religious services and associated ceremonies, and tourism to some extent enjoys the culinary delights. Summary The awe and serene emotions are prominent with access and arrival to the village and within the various nodes found throughout the fabric of the village, especially within the piazzas as shown in Figures 4.8b and 4.10a. This in part is due to the overall scale of the village settlement and the differing types, scales and functions of the interior urban spaces. Presence and quality of expression score similarly. The Unity Principle scored the highest while the Generative scored the lowest. The numinous qualities of fascination and wonder are present due to the historic significance and the dramatic physical siting of the village on the ridgetop. Awe is certainly experienced upon entering the village as a whole and with views of the castle ruins. Serene emotions occur with the more intimate experiences with the Piazza Don Alcide Lazzeri Well and as seen with the Giuseppe Mazzini luncheon. The values for presence and quality of expression are 4.15 and 4.35. The Unity, Formative and Corporeal Principles scoring the highest. The patterns receiving a numerical value of 5 include centering, bounding, views, going down, reaching upward, materiality and ceremonial participation (due to the cultural, religious or culinary experiences). The patterns with the lowest values are nature within and celestial presence. This case study illustrates the contrast of secular and religious urban space and affirms the value in community eliciting pro-social behaviors, so common for Italians especially around the dinner table. For visitors and tourists, Civitella offers opportunities for numinous experiences by meandering throughout the village, visiting the fortress site or the church, or by imbibing in the local restaurants. Cuisine settings offer opportunities to unplug, slow down and appreciate your senses especially for visual pleasure, olfaction and gustation. It also offers situational opportunities for social interaction or pro-social emotions.

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◼ ARCHITECTURE CASE STUDY: SKELLIG MICHAEL ISLAND, IRELAND Skellig Islands are two small, but steep rocky islands lying off the west coast of Ireland and are a UNESCO World Heritage site. The larger of the two islands is known as Skellig Michael, Great Skellig or Skellig Rock Great with its characteristic two peaks. According to Horn, Marshall and Rourke, these peaks were once conquered by people “who searched fearlessly for ways to reach God.” 7 Remembering that at this time in history and up until Magellan and Elcano’s observation in 1519, the world was considered flat and for Europeans was considered the end of the terrestrial world.8 So, western Ireland would have been viewed as a good location to connect to the unknown – a thin place. Located at the western edge of the land mass at the tip of Iveragh Peninsula about 12 kilometers from Bolus Head, Ireland, is this early monastery that served as a place of refuge and penitence to obtain withdrawal from civilization, void of distractions and to live solitary lives of prayers. The sixth century Early Christian monastery and beehive-like stone huts are still remaining and are intimate in scale. The southwestern peak, which is steeper, was the site of a hermitage while the northeast peak, which has a broader summit, was the site of the monastery with crofts and gardens, cistern, six beehive huts and two oratories, and common terrace. The two peaks are separated by a depression known as Christ’s Saddle. Figure 4.11 shows the island from the mainland boat approaching from the east and Figure 4.12a and b shows Christ’s Saddle and a beehive hut and the view of the mainland beyond. The 20 ectypal place patterns for Skellig Michael Island follow (Table 4.3): 1. Passage and threshold – the boat passage is about 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) and refreshing, the 618 steps up and narrow paths up to the terraces creates a sense of anticipation and are terrifying, 2. Centering – the island itself acts as a center focus and destination in the ocean, and the two peaks and Christ’s Saddle suggest multiple center points or places, 4.11 Skellig Michael Island, Ireland

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4.12 Skellig Michael Island: (a) Christ’s Saddle, (b) sixth century beehive huts

3. Extending outward and connecting – the sense of the neighboring Small Skellig, the Irish coast and the expanse of the Atlantic Ocean offer multiple feelings of connection, 4. Differentiated bounding – the surrounding all sides of the island is the ocean, water and rocky edges that serve as a powerful boundary and all views are wonderful, PRINCIPLE (Archetypal)

PATTERN (Ectypal)

PRESENCE (Quantitative)

EXPRESSION (Qualitative)

1

Passage

5

5

UNITY

2

Center & Centering

5

5

PRINCIPLE

3

Connecting

4

5

4

Bounding

Average

5

5

19

20

5

Symbolic

4

4

GENERATIVE

6

Nature Within

5

5

PRINCIPLE

7

Celestial

3

4

8

Views

Average FORMATIVE PRINCIPLE

5

5

17

18

9

Geometric Order

3

3

10

Going Down

5

5

11

Reaching Upward

5

5

12

Spatial Quality

5

5

18

18

13

Orientation

3

3

CORPOREAL

14

Function

4

4

PRINCIPLE

15

Scale

5

5

16

Materiality

5

5

17

17

17

Elemental

5

5

REGENERATIVE

18

Living Color

5

5

PRINCIPLE

19

Luminosity

4

4

20

Ceremonial

Average

Average

Average TOTAL

4

5

18

19

4.45

4.55

Table 4.3 Skellig Michael Pattern Analysis

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◼ ARCHITECTURE 5. Symbolic or historic content – there is a rich history dating back to the sixth century and the remains support the rugged survival and solitude of experience, the island was seen as the end of the earth, 6. Nature within – there is the ocean, the rock island itself, the cliff plants and the sea birds, 7. Celestial presence and awareness – seasonal movement of the sun is easily observed from multiple terraces positioned on the northeastern, southern and northwestern locations, 8. Discriminating views – from surrounding terraces and paths, views of the ocean, the two peaks, other rock formations and Small Skellig are present, 9. Geometric order within – the geometry of the island is natural and random conforming the natural contours and rock formations of the island, while the beehive cluster does create a distinct sense of place, 10. Going down – the slope of the two peaks downward and the island as a whole gives a sense of groundedness, as does the surrounding Ocean, 11. Reaching upward and levity – the island emerging out of the ocean, the steep rock slopes, the two peaks and at one time the upright slab expressed levity and vertical movement, 12. Spatial character and quality – while Skellig Michael Island is a relatively small island, it has both a feeling of grandeur as well as moments of intimacy, 13. Finding direction and orientation – while the axis of the island is ordinal and predominantly northeast to southwest, there is a strong sense of the south toward the sun, the east toward the mainland and west to the expansive ocean, 14. Place function – originally occupied as a refuge with monastic activities of a spiritual daily life, now serves as a destination heritage site 15. Scale – the scale of the peaks, saddle, the ocean and the mainland are awe inspiring and the scale of the terraces and beehive huts are serene, 16. Physical materiality – the rock, fauna and ocean water, 17. Presence and awareness of the elements – fire (in the form of sunlight), earth (the island itself and rock) and water (the surrounding ocean) and air (clouds and winds) and ether (totality of the place), 18. Living color – the island, ocean and skies are of natural rock, fauna, water and changing sky colors, 19. Light and luminosity – the changing quality of natural light, sunrises and sunsets, night sky and 20. Ceremonial participation – for the original occupants it was spiritual sanctuary in the process of daily life and for visitors it is experiencing the wonder and beauty of the place. Analysis of Skellig Michael site plan shows the numerous thin place nodes where possible thin place experiences were likely to have occurred, Figure 4.13. Daily life on the island allowed for the small band of Early Christian monks to withdraw from the secular world and participate in prayer, meditation and worship in common which undoubtedly created awe and serene emotions. For visitors today the experience still creates numinous experiences. Passage by boat has anticipation and an intense sense of arrival. The paths upward can be arduous. The two peaks and the upright slab at the easternmost end of the Split (now missing) point upward to the heavens.

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4.13 Skellig Michael Island plan analysis

The comparison between the place presence and quality of expression is negligible scoring 4.45 and 4.55. Evaluating Skellig for its present use versus its previous monastic use was difficult. The differences among the archetypal principles are also relatively close with the Unity and Generative, Formative and Regenerative Principles scoring highest with values of 18–20, and the Corporeal Principle the lowest with score. The Formative and Regenerative scored in the middle. The highest scoring individual elicitor patterns were passage, centering, connecting, bounding, nature within, discriminating views, going down, reaching upward, physical materiality and the terrestrial elements. Weakest patterns seemed to be celestial presence, geometric order and orientation (unless considering orientation to the unknown). The lack of celestial presence is most likely due to the severe and predominant cloudy weather. Because of the dominance of the changing terrain and the relatively small built footprints, geometry was responsive to the natural features of the island site. As can be seen from all the photographs of Skellig, color, especially the green of the island and blue of the ocean, is vibrant and omnipresent. The thin place experience of both awe and serenity readily occur contrasting the natural and built environments. What has been difficult in the analysis is the use difference between past and present. Awe emotions are partly due to the remoteness of the site, dramatic peaks and the sheer beauty of the island itself. Serene emotions occur in the built moments, the peacefulness of the remote setting and intimacy of the beehive huts. Figure 4.14a shows one of the stone paths and steps climbing from the boat landing to Christ’s Saddle, to the Lighthouse and Monastery. Figure 4.14b shows a dramatic rock outcrop and the Small Skellig Island beyond.

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4.14 Skellig Michael: (a) passage from the landing to the monastery, (b) rock outcrop reaching upward

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When extant until 1977, the “slab,” although modest in size, near the summit of the South Peak must have been incredibly inspiring as if a finger pointing up as marker or threshold to the heavens. According to Horn, Marshall and Rourke, the monastery with the six beehive cells and two oratories housed only 12 monks at a time. Full time sanctuary and occupation eased by the thirteenth century most like due to climatic deterioration – colder weather and the severity of more frequent ocean storms.9 The 618 stone steps hand placed some 14 centuries ago, begins a journey ascending into another world. Summary It is not surprising that thin places originated in extraordinary places in Ireland. Skellig Michael was not only a thin place in its original purpose where the veil between everyday activities of monastic life and the ability to reach God became especially thin, but also today for the 180 daily island visitors that experience a variety of numinous moments. In its historic occupation, Skellig Michael certainly exemplified a thin place not only because of its outlying location and beauty of the natural island environment, but due to the intentional functions, activities and ways of supporting contemplative living and marginal existence there. Even visitors today get a strong sense of awe and serenity that comes from its remoteness, separation from modernity, preserved quality, sheer physical presence and breathtaking beauty. The island itself engenders an intense sense of awe and amazement, and the small human interventions found throughout the island are quietly fascinating and serene. In the analysis, pattern presence scores slightly higher than quality of expression mainly due to the fact that the island is no longer being used as a monastic retreat. So, connections and ceremonial participation are a little lower in quality of expression, Passage is one of the primary patterns leading to the numinous experiences. This includes the boat ride from the mainland to the island, landing with the transition from sea to land, the stone paths and steps leading up the mountains, but also certain precarious points along the ascent. The Needle’s Eye is one such point where you have to squeeze through a hollow between rock outcrops which has been described as potentially terrifying. Centering is another strong pattern although there are multiple centers which upon approaching give a sense of arrival and stability. Each is connected by the traversing path system and typically bounding by rocks and retaining walls reinforcing a sense of place. Scale scores relatively high because of the size of the island and the surrounding ocean. The numinous emotional responses are speculated about the historic inhabitants of the past, while they also exist for contemporary visitors yet not through everyday living on the island. For visitors the island is beautiful, wonder-filled and its relative remoteness evokes mystery and fascination around the filming of the final episode of Star Wars: A Force Awakens in part filmed there. Being able to discern the entirety of the island, the bounding coastline, the rising peaks, the ubiquitous color green and the passage up to the intimate dwelling places all contribute to a Unity experience of awe. Both the experience of the island as a whole and the individual habitable places function as thin places. It seems that

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◼ ARCHITECTURE part of the intension of this monastic way of life was refuge, sanctuary and the ability to experience silence. This silence for both predecessors and present-day visitors may be the language of God. The rough life had compensations. Asceticism gave an intensified response to the smell of flowers, the texture of stone, the feel of rain or sun or wind, the flight of birds. When they came out of their dark cells, their spirits must have lifted to heights rarefied beyond our experience.10 CASE STUDY: THE WADI BANI OASIS The Wadi Bani Oasis is located in the eastern region of Omen and is one of the most well-known oasis in Omen. It is a three-hour drive from the capital, Muscat. The ancient nomadic Bedouin tribes originally occupied the area. A wadi (‫ ) َوا ِدي‬is a “valley” in Arabic and is a valley, ravine, arroyo or canyon that is generally dry except in the rainy season.11 During the rainy season, floods occur that can disrupt the pristine water. For the Wadi Bani Oasis, the crystal clear emerald pools of water are fed by a stream throughout the year, are bounded by a rugged ravine, large boulders and date palm trees, and are even full of fish. The oasis is in stark contrast to Omen’s arid mountain landscapes and desert dunes, and as such is considered a “blue space.”. As a blue space, the oasis’ body of water provides calm, serenity and a meditative impact on the mind. The oasis is accessed by road with parking remotely located a short five-to-ten minute walk away. There are shaded pavilions and seating areas around the pools and a modest restaurant with toilet facilities. There are a succession of pools that become more intimate as you move up-river from the larger main pool to the smaller and isolated pools. In addition to the pools, there is the Muqal cave. While the Wadi Bani Oasis is in a remote location and is modest in scale, it does attract a number of visitors. It is a place of refuge from the soaring desert heat and a destination for rejuvenation by the healing waters. As a thin place, it naturally occurs and is informed by the archetypal principles with clear ectypal patterns. Passage to this oasis is exaggerated by the lengthy automobile drive to the site and is enriched by the pedestrian trail leading to the pools. The abundant and beautiful water source, beach and rock island serve its primary purpose and function as a destination site and center. It is linear by nature stretching along the Wadi Khalid valley which creates a defining boundary. The experience of nature within is abundant (water, canyon, rock formations, palm trees, vegetation and skies). The spatial structure is dominated by the land and resulting succession of water forms. Grounding and gravity are powerful while reaching verticality seems secondary although the palm trees do reach upward. Because the environment is essentially natural, long and near views are desirable. While the overall desert scale is enormous, the oasis provides a relief and human scale. The sense of materiality is strong with the complementary elements of fire (sun), earth (canyon walls), water (cascading pools), air (open skies above, and ether), and the sense of spirit in nature. Colors are generally subdued with the exception of the

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4.15 Oasis thin places: (a) Wadi Bani Oasis, (b) bridge and pavilions

  emerald water and blue clear skies. As in most arid environments, light is powerful when contrasted by shadows and shade. And finally, ceremonial participation at the Wadi Bani Oasis is both active (exhilarating) and passive (contemplative) (Figures 4.15 and 4.16). The 20 ectypal place patterns for Wadi Bani Oasis follow: 1. Passage and threshold – the journey through the parched landscape to the oasis can be arduous as it is 200 kilometers from the capital Muscat, and the car park is about a five minute walk to the pools, 2. Acknowledging a center – arrival to the oasis the eye goes to the Khalid pools, tiny islands and the pavilions below, 3. Extending outward and connecting – there are several connected pools, a bridge connects to two sides of the waterway, trails connect the pool and caves, and the water feeds the Arabian Sea, 4. Bounding – the gorge of the Hajar Mountains, arid rock outcrops, greenery, date palm trees and water’s edge form a natural linear boundary, 5. Symbolic or historic content – the earliest inhabitants were Bedouins but later were locals and visitors, 6. Nature within – is abundant in terms of fresh water, palm, banana and mango trees, milk weed, lush green grasses, and small desert animals and tiny fish, 4.16 Plan analyses of the Wadi Bani Oasis

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◼ ARCHITECTURE 7. Celestial presence and awareness – daytime sun is intense, but the clear desert night sky is amazing, 8. Discriminating views – during day the views are directed to the refreshing water and waterways, 9. Geometric order – the geometry is irregular, linear and natural, 10. Going down – the running water and rocky gorge emphasize the downward flow, and Muquil 11. Reaching upward and levity – conversely the rocky gorges and palm trees reach upward as does the night sky, 12. Spatial quality – the blue space is well defined and highly present creating a sense of place that is nourishing, 13. Orientation and Direction – the orientation is caused by the flow of the Wadi Bani Khalid downward to the Arabian Sea to the southeast, 14. Place function – is for refreshment, nourishment, healing, rejuvenation and recreation, 15. Scale – the oasis is a relatively small natural landscape with intimate pools surrounded by the vast desert, 16. Physical materiality – the oasis is located in a valley at the foot of the coastal Hajar Mountains, large white boulders, 17. The elements – fire (in the form of blazing sunlight), earth (the surrounding desert) and water is prominent element in the form of its underground spring, tributaries, waterfalls and pond, 18. Living color – there are natural earth colors (golden beige), palm trees and greenery, the spring and turquoise and emerald pools’ colors, and day and night skies, 19. Light and luminosity – the daylight is intense, shade is welcomed, and twilight/ dusk are enjoyed and 20. Ceremonial participation – water never dries up, both passive and active activities occur year around. While the oasis is located quite away from Muscat and normal services, food is limited as there is a small restaurant serving fresh juices and buffet lunch, and the changing and restroom facilities are minimal. Parking is available five or ten minute walk away. Dangling your feet, wading, swimming and diving are the common water activities. First encountering the Wadi Bani is awe inspiring as the compelling water is in such contrast to the parched desert surrounding it. Connecting to the water is calming, restorative and serene. Table 4.4 describes the pattern analysis. The Wadi Bani Oasis is a haven within a vast scorching desert environment. The pattern presence scored an average of (4.30) with the patterns scoring highest – passage, centering, bounding, nature within, going down, spatial quality, materiality, the elements and ceremonial participation. The pattern quality of expression scored an average of (4.45) with the same high scoring as presence patterns and the addition of the – symbolic, place function and living color patterns. The pattern analysis shows high ectypal pattern scores for the Wadi Bani quality of expression

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PRINCIPLE (Archetypal)

PATTERN (Ectypal)

PATTERN (Presence)

PATTERN (Quality)

1

Passage

4

4

UNITY

2

Center & Centering

5

5

PRINCIPLE

3

Connecting

4

4

 

4

Bounding

5

5

Average

 

 

18

18

 

5

Symbolic

4

5

GENERATIVE

6

Nature Within

5

5

PRINCIPLE

7

Celestial

3

4

 

8

Views

4

4

 

Average

 

 

16

18

 

9

Geometric Order

3

3

FORMATIVE

10

Going Down

5

5

PRINCIPLE

11

Reaching Upward

4

3

 

12

Spatial Quality

5

5

Average

 

 

17

16

 

13

Orientation

4

4

CORPOREAL

14

Function

4

5

PRINCIPLE

15

Scale

4

4

 

16

Materiality

5

5

Average

 

 

17

18

 

17

Elemental

5

5

REGENERATIVE

18

Living Color

4

5

PRINCIPLE

19

Luminosity

4

4

 

20 Ceremonial

5

5

Average

 

18

19

4.30

4.45

TOTAL

 

   

Table 4.4 Wadi Bani Oases Pattern Analysis

most notably because of its more natural and undisturbed environment and its perceived vitality. The attraction of the emerald water especially within a barren desert is striking, nurturing and healing providing numinous encounters. Passage, centering, connecting, bounding grounding, the spatial quality, materiality, the terrestrial elements and participation all contribute to the numinous experiences. The patterns with the least presence and quality of expression include celestial orientation and geometric order, although the more organic, natural geometry does contribute positively to the overall experience. Figure 4.17a and b shows the source water entering the oasis and the small dam containing the water. While most visitors find the oasis enjoyable and beautiful, a common complaint is its crowdedness during the day, on weekends and on national holidays.

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◼ ARCHITECTURE 4.17 The Wadi Bani Oasis: (a) water feeding oasis, (b) small dam containing water

   Summary The awe and serene emotions for oasis are similar to other case studies with nuanced differences due to its remote versus urban location. The archetypal form generator is the oasis and the fertile spring and refuge for travelers from harsh and unforgiving surroundings. It is a transitory experience providing nourishment and serenity. The Unity, Corporeal and Regenerative principles contained the highest scored elicitors. An Oasis is place defining and therefore has unified form characteristics and is easily identifiable in contrast to its harsher and more hostile surroundings. Its form integrates all the parts into an identifiable, harmonious whole. Water most often occupies its center and is bounded by vegetation, sand, rock outcrops and within the urban context, buildings and infrastructure. It is corporeal in terms of its more intimate scale in contrast to its vast surroundings and its materiality, which is evident with the Oman desert. The Regenerative Principle is integral to the function and oasis-effect and to its safe, place-centered rejuvenation and transformative qualities. The elicitors and ectypal patterns that are most extant provide structure to the thin place experience. Centering (sourcing) and bounding (protection) are essential elicitors as they contribute most strongly to a place defining moment within an otherwise vast surrounds. The elements earth (container) and water (source of nourishment) are also equally important to the function of an oasis and its participatory experience. Water and the well or spring have symbolic significance representing the womb, prosperity, abundance and that which is unconscious (unseen). It derives from underground rivers or aquifers that generate enough pressure for water to seep to the surface. Relative to other natural settings as grand stimuli (oceans, canyons, mountains, etc.), oases are intimate and human in scale. Living color and the experience of beauty are often contrasting, alive and compelling especially to their arid contexts. Awe emotions occur in varying ways including the experience of the vastness of the desert, wonder, fascination and amazement, as well as serenity emotions with anticipation, peacefulness and joy. An oasis is a unique place type with its contrast and movement from a vast environment to a more protected and intimate one. This thin place reminds us of the importance of water in our lives and

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its central role in our survival as well as our spiritual growth. The patterns that seem most exaggerated are centering, bounding and elemental qualities of the place. The water is silk and inviting as is the weathered water hole carved by rainwater runoff and the perennial springs of the wadi.12 CASE STUDY: CHAPELS OF RONCHAMP AND ROTHKO Two post–World War II chapels provide the opportunity to see two different ways in which thin places can be created. The Rothko Chapel in Houston, United States and the Roman Catholic Chapel Notre Dame du Haut at Ronchamp, France exemplify designs that express quite contrasting qualities. The chapels are similar in size and were constructed a decade apart from one another and have somewhat similar functions. The Rothko Chapel is a nondenominational chapel located in the museum district on an urban site in Houston, Texas. It was commissioned by John and Dominique de Menil. It was designed by Philip Johnson and Howard Barnstone and was constructed in 1971. Initially it was programmed to house a permanent collection of visual works of artist Mark Rothko, but also provided a colloquium for meetings and special events. Its opaque irregular orthogonal geometry houses 14 paintings that were created from the fall of 1964 through the spring of 1967. There are triptychs on three of the walls and single paintings on the remaining five walls. All the works are abstract and of dark hues with textured effects. The mission of the Rothko Chapel is to inspire action through art and contemplation, to nurture reverence for humanity, and to provide a forum for global concerns. The chapel was originally designed with no windows and a large eight-fold polygonal skylight above the main space. Since then, the space has been fitted with a translucent shade protecting Rothko’s paintings. The experience is introverted and somber, serene and contemplative, yet is restoring and reflective. The centralized plan [the form of a Greek cross] allows for either special group events, meditations or individual viewings of the Rothko paintings. The Rothko Chapel is inward, more intimate and darker in nature. It supports a more internal thin place experience. It is most often described as peaceful and is considered a sacred place. By contrast, the Chapel of Ronchamp is located on an isolated site outside of the small French town of Ronchamp. Designed by Le Corbusier in 1950, construction was completed in 1955. The overall sculptural form of the building is dynamic and creates “ineffable space” as architectural historian Charles Jencks calls it.13 It is uplifting and full of light and supports a more celestial and religious iconography. The anchor on the floor and crab-form roof visually connect the three primary defining walls into a single unity. The dark roof contrasted to the slightly distorted white walls and sensuous towers all respond to one another. Taken together, they suggest a metaphoric whole – sometimes a monk’s hood, a ship’s prow or perhaps, even a celestial vessel. The floor plan and primary walls are an abstract representation of the three Marian programs: the annunciation, the assumption and the coronation. Most often though, the Chapel is described as an extraordinary expression of modernist principles of light, plasticity of form and use of concrete. The exterior building shape soars and the interior south truncated window wall is an up-lifting and inspiring composition in light. The interior is mystical and punctuated with constellations of sparkling starlight. The location, site conditions, function, space, form, color, material and functional use characteristics of these two chapels vary greatly. Rothko Chapel is located 119  ◻

◼ ARCHITECTURE within an urban setting in Houston, Texas, its overall form organized by eight-fold geometry. The plan is organized by numbers 2 (dyad), 4 (tetrad) and 8 (octad) are all even and members of the generative family of numbers.14 Rothko Chapel is an intimate sanctuary available to all people, a modem meditative environment for people of varying faiths from all parts of the world. The 14 murals – abstract expressionism infused heavily with human emotions. The Rothko Chapel is an exterior masonry structure with gray interior walls. The Chapel is a center for international cultural, religious and philosophical exchanges, for colloquia and performances. It has become a place of private meditation. Conversely, the Ronchamp Chapel is located in a rural setting high on a hill overlooking the small town of Ronchamp, France. It is a pilgrimage site and Roman Catholic church. The structure is made of concrete and stone remnants of the original chapel and is painted white both inside and outside. The overall sculptural form of the building is dynamic, creates ineffable space and it is often referred to as a sailing vessel. The numbers 3 (triad) and 5 (pentad) are odd and members of the formative and regenerative families of numbers.15 The building plan is formed by three curving walls creating spaces related to the three divine stages of Mary’s life – annunciation, assumption and coronation. The large north-sloping roof sheds rainwater to a single scupper that feeds an oval pool below. The column of water separate the two northern towers, the “God the Father Tower and the Mary Tower, thus reenacting the Annunciation and creating a veil for the thin place. According to Robert Combs, the canted south wall (the assumption wall) is punctuated with 25 truncated glazed window openings forming two abstracted celestial constellations – Virgo on top of Hydra. The Virgo constellation is perhaps symbolic to the patronage to the Virgin Mary, Notre Dame.16 The following side-by-side comparison between the Rothko and Ronchamp chapels shows quite differing experiential effects. ROTHKO CHAPEL Ensouling Social/Cultural programs Meditating Destination site Grounded Dark Tomb-like Centralized geometry Impressionist artwork Earth Terrestrial Numbers 2, 4 and 8 Generative principle Urban setting Centripetal Introverted Interiority experience Somber Serene emotion cluster Stillness that moves Intimate sanctuary Garden of paradise metaphor

RONCHAMP CHAPEL Ennobling Religious programs Worshiping Pilgrimage site Uplifting Light Ship-like Axial geometry Symbolic cubism artwork Sky Celestial Numbers 3 and 5 Regenerative principle Rural setting Centrifugal Extroverted Exteriority experience Exhilarating Wonder emotion cluster Movement that quiets Dynamic space Sacred mountain metaphor

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There are distinctions between the two chapels beyond their initial appearance. These are not the difference between good and evil or right or wrong, but rather differences in experience with spiritual movement inward (centripetal) and movement outward (centrifugal). Rothko ensouls; and Ronchamp ennobles.17 They reveal very different forms, organizing geometries, colors, emotional responses, corresponding sacred experiences and thin place functions. Refer to the ground plans and photographs in Figures 4.18 and 4.19 and the lists for a side by side comparison of the formal and experiential qualities of each chapel. Rothko embraces serene and meditative emotions while Ronchamp expresses vastness with its formal and luminous quality. It is clear that the octagon geometry of Rothko contributes to a center-focusing spatial experience, while the axial geometry of Ronchamp contributes to an expanding outward experience. The interior spaces differ as well as seen in Figure 4.18e and f, where Rothko 4.18 Differing thin place experiences: (a) Rothko and Ronchamp floor plans, (b) Rothko exterior, (c) Ronchamp chapel exterior South Façade, (d) Rothko interior, (e) Ronchamp interior

 

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◼ ARCHITECTURE 4.19 Artwork expressions: (a) Mark Rothko painting, (b) Le Corbusier front door panel, (c) Virgo constellation, (d) Corvus window at Ronchamp

 

  is subdued and balanced and is symbolic of a Greek cross. Though the original design included a large skylight, the Texas sun was too intense for the building so the skylight was covered by a screen. Ronchamp is inspiring and dynamic and is symbolic around the religious themes of the Virgin Mary. Rothko has a mixed-use nondenominational focus and is a destination site, while Ronchamp has a religious practice focus and is a pilgrimage site. Thin places can be quite distinct with differing pattern qualities that result in varying emotional experiences. In these two examples, they vary according to the opposite emotion clusters of (serene, content, reverence and peaceful) and (awe, wonder, inspiration and astonishment). And formally, the designs Both the Rothko and Ronchamp chapels are exceptional places and possess magical qualities. The sacred artwork also varies greatly as seen in Figure 4.19a. Mark Rothko’s impressionist paintings appear surrounding the interior space with the 14 murals as sacred places in which to enter and experience “the Other.” The paintings in Rothko chapel are dark, in purplish or black hues in order to emphasize the infinite. Le Corbusier’s cubist front door mural is a depiction of the Annunciation replete with the column between Gabriel (projecting red hand slightly above) and Mary (open blue hand slightly below), Figure 4.19b. Coincidentally, the window located in the southwest corner of the truncated wall depicts a raven above the sea and very well may be Le Corbusier signature to the building, Figure 4.19c and d. The name, Le Corbusier, meaning “raven-like.” Beyond any inherent semantic characteristics, the two chapels possess, they attract and continually endear people from all corners

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of the world. They are a source of intrigue, sanctuary, profound architectural merit and spiritual renewal. In the analysis the place presence comparison between the chapels at Rothko and Ronchamp show very similar total number values with averages of 4.10 and 4.45 respectively (Table 4.5). However, the largest difference between them occurs with the Generative Principle (11 and 16) and the patterns for celestial, reaching upward and luminosity. The patterns for reaching upward and spatial quality are strongest with Ronchamp. Rothko is strongest with the Unity Principle while Ronchamp is strongest with the regenerative Principle. Weak in both chapels is nature within as building functions are internally oriented typical for museum and religious functions. The side-by-side comparison and contrast helps to clarify their purpose and how people experience each of them. They truly are significant architectural examples of the art of the unseen. PRINCIPLE (Archetypal)

PATTERN (Presence)

 

ROTHKO CHAPEL

RONCHAMP CHAPEL

5

5

1

Passage

UNITY

2

Center & Centering

5

4

PRINCIPLE

3

Connecting

4

4

 

4

Bounding

5

5

Average

 

 

19

18

 

5

Symbolic

4

5

GENERATIVE

6

Nature Within

1

2

PRINCIPLE

7

Celestial

3

5

 

8

Views

3

4

Average

 

 

11

16

 

9

Geometric Order

5

4

FORMATIVE

10

Going Down

5

5

PRINCIPLE

11

Reaching Upward

3

5

 

12

Spatial Quality

4

5

Average

 

 

17

19

 

13

Orientation

5

4

CORPOREAL

14

Function

5

5

PRINCIPLE

15

Scale

5

4

 

16

Materiality

4

4

Average

 

 

19

17

 

17

Elemental

4

5

REGENERATIVE

18

Living Color

4

4

PRINCIPLE

19

Luminosity

3

5

 

20

Ceremonial

5

5

Average

 

 

16

19

 

4.10

4.45

TOTAL

 

Table 4.5 Chapels’ Pattern Comparison

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◼ ARCHITECTURE Summary The comparison between the two chapels reveal quite differing awe and serene emotion elicitors. The primary symbolic form for Rothko is the sacred cave and for Ronchamp is the celestial ship. For the Rothko Chapel its unifying and formal archetypal principles comprise the strongest elicitors for a serene emotional response, and ectypal pattern attributes which include passage, centering, bounding, geometry, scale, function and participatory interaction attributes. The simple geometry, boundary and color of the Mark Rothko murals and intimate scale contribute to an interiority of a meditative experience. The octagonal form has a geometric shape that is the balance between square (secular realm) and circle (heavenly realm). The darker and nuanced color and the proximity and distance of the paintings to one another and to the viewer create a nearness and intimacy that adds to the quiet and serene ambiance. The brick exterior walls give a sense of gravity and grounding. The diffused light and dark demeanor contribute to an absorptive and yet sensual and personal experience. And according to Dominique de Menil, Mark Rothko’s paintings reflect “the mystery of the cosmos, the tragic mystery of our perishable condition, [and] the silence of God, the unbearable silence of God.”18 Much has been written about the heroic qualities and merits of the Chapel at Ronchamp; yet it is interesting that after more than a half of century its more hidden meanings are only now being revealed and studied. There appears to be a fluidity, plasticity and expressionist quality of form moving between the abstract and semantic and the concrete and transcendent, importing and exporting content from each. For Ronchamp Chapel its formal and transformative archetypal principles inform the bounding interior walls, its symbolic and celestial qualities, the elemental and luminous ectypal attributes which for this chapel are the strongest elicitors for the awe emotional response. The hilltop location and play of the swooping upward sculpted form and light create a dramatic exterior and interior experience, and what Charles Jenks called “ineffable space.”19 The seemingly random pattern of truncated window wells in the assumption wall, and colored glass resemble sparkling constellations in the heavens. It is these exaggerated formal qualities that contribute to the architecture of awe. While remarkably different in form, both chapels are unmistakably moving in sprit, the integral ectypal patterns elicit strong awe and serene emotions, and they continually endear people from all corners of the world. This case study illustrates how the placemaking patterns can combine to create quite differing emotional responses from exuberance to silence. The patterns that seem most exaggerated for Rothko Chapel are centering, bounding, geometric order and scale, and for Ronchamp Chapel are celestial, reaching upward, spatial quality and light. Since both chapels are oriented to internal activities, the patterns for connecting, nature within, external views, reaching upward, and celestial and luminosity for Rothko reduced the overall scores. CASE STUDY: TWILIGHT EPIPHANY SKYSPACE James Turrell is an American artist known for his work in light and space. In the 1970s, Turrell began his series of “skyspaces” or enclosed spaces open to the sky through an aperture in the roof. Skyspace enclosures are typically large enough for

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at least 15 people. Inside, the viewers sit on benches around the perimeter along the edge to view the sky through the opening in the center of the roof. Turrel’s work was intended to manipulate light to facilitate a sense of presence. Sometimes skyspaces are purpose built spaces for specific functions, such as church services, or the apertures are designed to observe the phenomenon of the open and changing sky above them. The term “skyspace” was popularized by Turrell who has installed more than 85 skyspaces worldwide. Among the notable Turrell projects include the Live Oak Friends Meeting also in Houston; Divining the Light at Pomona College; the Boullee’s Eye in Limelette, Belgium; and Meeting at MoMA in New York City to list a few. As of 2013, there were over 140 skyspaces installed worldwide. The skyspace has metaphoric connections to Plato’s Allegory of the Cave where culturally determined norms and perceptual experience of objects that were created by light and shadows could be transformed and brought into the true nature of things. The skyspace opening or oculus is an architectural design strategy in which the open-air hole is created in the ceiling or roof functioning like a window to the sky above it. In some installations, the opening can be closed depending on varying weather conditions. Skyspaces, unlike skylights, are intended to be open to the elements. Sometimes they are purpose built spaces for specific functions, such as church services, or the apertures are designed to observe the phenomenon of the open and changing sky above them. To enhance the experience of the skyspace, there is a play between the fixed inside or pavilion and the phenomenal ambient outside seen through the oculus. The opening is designed with minimal edges, thereby blurring this relationship and enhancing the experience. Built in 2012, the Twilight Epiphany Skyspace is one of the many incredible structures created by Turrell. It is located on the Rice University Campus in Houston, Texas. In the Twilight Epiphany Skyspace, there is a juxtaposition of the LED colored light on the underside of the pavilion roof and the changing quality of the natural sunrise and twilight. Every day at sunrise and sunset the lights come on within the pavilion. The complement of the deliberate LED lights and the changing sky color, creates a captivating and transforming visual experience. Clearly this interplay created by the roof form between the artificial light and the natural sky become a fluctuating portal and thin place veil for both awe and serene experiences. The light performances occur at twilight, between day and night during sunrises and sunsets, when the Earth’s upper atmosphere scatters and refracts sunlight which illuminates the lower atmosphere. According to Turrell, “my work is more about your seeing than it is about my seeing, although it is a product of my seeing.20 I’m also interested in the sense of presence of space; that is space where you feel a presence, almost an entity – that physical feeling and power that space can give.” This could be similar to Rudolf Otto’s sense of “the Other.” The Rice Skyspace can accommodate 120 people on two levels beneath the 72-foot square roof. The skyspace is placed on an earthen mound and the roof seems to hover over it with a knife-edge opening at a thickness of less than an inch. The Skyspace is intended to alter the viewer’s perception of the sky through a cluster of luminous colors framing the mutable qualities of the naturally changing sky. Cell phones and flash photography are not allowed during performances because they detract from the direct experience of the place. (Figure 4.20 shows

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◼ ARCHITECTURE 4.20 The Twilight Epiphany Skyspace

the underside of the roof, the knife edge and the clouds beyond.) The temperament of this building is magical and inspirational provoking interesting thoughts. The world is filled with air and beyond it is constantly changing because of the phenomenal opening. This is a wonderful example of thin place architecture supporting direct experiences of nature. The Twilight Epiphany Skyspace is an excellent example of a thin place. It not only contains all the place patterns but does so in extraordinary ways. The pavilion acts as a protected space and refuge and the roof oculus functions as a svelte veil between observers and the movement of color and light. The tapered upper side of the roof canopy slopes gently down and outward around the perimeter and dips downward near the center. The cantilevered oculus opening is engineered with a carbon steel knife edge of about 1/16 that minimizes the interior and exterior surfaces of the roof. There are three types or phases of twilight, civil, nautical and astronomical twilight which vary in natural light intensity. This light-to-darkness gradient at dusk and dawn plays with the perceptual ambiguity of the Skyspace’s inside and outside thereby contributing to thin place experiences, especially with emotions of awe, amazement, the sublime and wonder. A description of the 20 ectypal place patterns for the Twilight Epiphany Skyspace are listed and elaborated on below (Table 4.6): 1. Passage and threshold – pedestrian approach to pyramidal pavilion with transitional passages and stairways acting as entrances into the heart of the structure, 2. Centering – the pavilion space and dramatic square oculus opening in the canopy identify the center. The center is a void rather than an object that changes in light and color, 3. Extending outward and connecting – the open air quality of the pavilion serves to extend to the surrounding campus and the roof opening to the skies,

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PRINCIPLE (Archetypal)

PATTERN (Ectypal)

PRESENCE (Quantitative)

EXPRESSION (Qualitative)

1

Passage

4

4

UNITY

2

Center & Centering

5

5

PRINCIPLE

3

Connecting

4

5

 

4

Bounding

5

5

Average

 

 

18

19

 

5

Symbolic

4

4

GENERATIVE

6

Nature Within

4

5

PRINCIPLE

7

Celestial

5

5

 

8

Views

5

5

Average

 

 

18

19

 

9

Geometric Order

5

5

FORMATIVE

10

Going Down

4

4

PRINCIPLE

11

Reaching Upward

5

5

 

12

Spatial Quality

5

5

Average

 

 

19

19

 

13

Orientation

4

4

CORPOREAL

14

Function

5

5

PRINCIPLE

15

Scale

4

4

 

16

Materiality

4

4

Average

 

 

17

17

 

17

Elemental

3

4

REGENERATIVE

18

Living Color

5

5

PRINCIPLE

19

Luminosity

5

5

 

20

Ceremonial

5

5

Average

 

 

18

19

 

4.45

4.65

 

TOTAL

 

Table 4.6 Skyspace Pattern Analysis

4. Differentiated bounding – adjacent campus buildings serve to frame the pavilion while concrete walls and benches bound the inner pavilion space. The roof bounds the oculus opening, 5. Symbolic or historic content – the structure and experience echo Plato’s Allegory of the Cave and the metaphor of the window, 6. Nature within – terrestrial nature is not as important as the atmospheric and celestial nature. Shortly cut grass appears around the pyramidal form, 7. Celestial presence and awareness – opening to the sky reveals the blue skies and clouds during day and the celestial objects at night. Featured are celebrations of sunrises and sunsets as well as subtle changes in color and light delineate the Earth’s rotation,

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◼ ARCHITECTURE 8. Discriminating views – views are highly controlled and focused to the underside of the roof and oculus, 9. Geometric order within – the pavilion is sited on a square plot of land defined by pathways, the structure is on a square pyramid of grassed land, the structure has a square concrete base, and the roof (72-foot) and oculus (14-foot) are square, 10. Going down and groundedness – the contrast between the floating roof and base of the building emphasize both the levity and grounding of the structure. The lower level is massive made of earth and concrete. In includes physical connections to soil, 11. Reaching upward and verticality – reaching upward is dramatic with the floating roof supported on eight 6” diameter thin 12-foot high columns and the pavilion roof with oculus framing views outward and upward, 12. Spatial quality – the skyspace itself is modest in scale yet its two-story space feels warm and inviting. Suring the light performances, the space transforms and has an extraordinary quality, 13. Orientation and direction – the pavilion conforms to the geometry of the campus grid and the skylight directs attention upward, 14. Place function – the pavilion functions as a sculptural kinetic art piece with color light shows (lasting 40 minutes), live performances and electronic music at night (accommodating 120 guests) and is open for public viewing during the day, 15. Scalar context – the stairs ascending to the upper level of the pavilion and the inner surrounding benches offer human scale. The floating ceiling, light phenomena and oculus are more cosmic in scale, 16. Physical materiality – while the base is very material and substantial, it is the roof that is designed to dematerialize through varying and moving light has a lighter material presence, 17. Presence and awareness of the elements – while the element of earth grounds the structure, it is the elements of air and ether that dominate the experience, 18. Living color – the underside of the roof is white during day and becomes a complement to the LED performance lighting and the natural changing twilight, 19. Light and luminosity – during evening performances, the underside of the roof undergoes a natural movement of LED light in color alterations focusing on the ethereal oculus and 20. Ceremonial participation – public interaction with the pavilion is central to the function of the skyspace. Light shows can be observed inside the pavilion as well as outside below the tapered grass walls. The thin place analysis of the archetypal principles and ectypal patterns is based on the Likert scale, originally developed by psychologist Rensis Likert (1932). Each of the 20 patterns was assigned a numerical value of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) assessing both the presence (quantitative) and the quality of expression (qualitative) separately. All the principles scored high with the Corporeal principles scoring

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the lowest. The pattern quality of expression (4.65) scored slightly higher than pattern presence (4.45). This is due because of the quality of the performances that occur within the pavilion. There were many patterns scoring 5.0 including centering, bounding, connecting, celestial, geometric order, reaching upward, spatial quality, color, luminosity and ceremonial participation. Figure 4.21a and b shows the Twilight Epiphany Skyspace Interior. This work is absolutely amazing, and it exceeded my expectations. The 40-minute light show changed my perceptions about light and the sky.21 4.21 The Twilight Epiphany Skyspace: (a) canopy and oculus, (b) oculus

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◼ ARCHITECTURE Summary The archetypal forms for a skyspace are like a henge (Stonehenge) or an outdoor room (cave) with roof or even a window (as a thin place veil) opening for viewing the night sky. While the henge generally signifies a circular structure supported by stone or timber, a henge in this instance is the floating roof and its supports framing the night sky. The Twilight Epiphany Skyspace is a thin place that elicits from awe to serene emotions depending upon the event venues. For public evening and morning performances, awe emotions are elicited and experienced, while at other times when the space is relatively unoccupied during the day, serene emotions are likely outcomes. With the Corporeal principle scoring the lowest and the others scoring quite high, this suggests that the archetypal energies activate the patterns and subsequent experiences. The juxtaposition of the floating canopy roof and knifeedge portal opening with the transitioning atmospheric sky and the surreal LED light sequence creates such an obvious thin place veil. The natural phenomena of sunrise and sunset are considered the most spiritual times of the day evoking transitions of light and darkness. The civil, nautical and astronomical variations in these phases of twilight moments add to the mystery and changing quality of light. The ectypal thin place patterns contribute in significant ways. Initiating the awe experiences, the centering, connecting, bounding, celestial, views, color and luminosity ectypes combine and elicit the perception of vastness, wonder and fascination in a narrative of visual delight. Other patterns are present, but these are the dominant elicitors. Other high scoring ectypal patterns include geometric order, verticality, nature within (sky, clouds, stars) and the quality of function. The final ectype of ceremonial participation is the purpose, function and engagement central to the experience. Serene emotions can also be elicited by the soothing quality of light and the silence of the night. The awe experience of the Twilight Epiphany Skyspace is likely to have certain physiological effects including the diminished sense of self, intense wonder, changing perception of time and a sense of connectedness. It is difficult to assess the need for cognitive accommodation, yet an experience like this could affect mood in positive ways, and the experience does not fit into normal mental structures, therefore requiring a certain level of accommodation.22 The combinatory effect of the skyspace entertains, but more so, it transports us to places beyond everyday life. The patterns that seem exaggerated are reaching upward, celestial order and color, as luminosity and ceremonial participation are most dramatic. CASE STUDY: STARHOUSE, BOULDER, COLORADO The StarHouse is a community-oriented building constructed in the early-1990s in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains outside of Boulder, Colorado and was designed by the author, Phillip Tabb. It is a nontoxic, sustainable building based upon sacred and astronomical geometrical principles. The StarHouse is particularly interesting as a thin place because of the intentional nature of the design, the ceremonial quality to the construction process, and its seasoning through continued use. The design for the StarHouse was based on the Native American Drum Dance Lodge which was an open ceremonial structure widely used across the Great Plains. Its form embodied certain symbolic and spiritual meanings. The circular or twelve-fold geometric perimeter signified the universe, in its center was a large drum paced in the earthen floor 130  ◻

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representing the underworld, and above in the ceiling was a four-fold cupola for the sky world.23 The Starhouse is oriented along Cardinal directions with the main entry to the south and the primary heat source, a wood-burning stove, to the north. There were several ceremonies held throughout the construction process that included ground-breaking, a beam-walk mid-way through construction, and a consecration ceremony. Its function was intended as a multicultural setting for ceremonial practices especially celestial moments related to the changing of the seasons. The contemporary spiritual underpinnings to the project were also based on the theoretical concepts provided by Theosophical teachings, which were characterized as qualities of consciousness and psychological energies.24 This concept provided a platform for understanding the spiritual qualities of light, a diversity of archetypal energies and what they called “light substance.” The combination of the Native American symbolism and the Celestial orientation of the Theosophical teachings led to the design for the StarHouse and use of the building as a sanctuary and an All Seasons Chalice. It is a meeting place for spiritual, elemental, educational and celestial connections. The building is used for meditation, dance, music, theater, weddings, lectures, courses, workshops and seasonal ceremonies and celebrations, Figure 4.22. The geometry derived from the Vesica Pisces (the common space created by overlapping of two identical circles). Within the almond shaped Vesica Pisces is a double circle. The outer circle with a 40-foot diameter, defines the exterior façade of the building while the inner circle defines the exposed structural posts and surrounding benches. The interior can accommodate 179 occupants. Its axis is aligned with the North Star, and it is perfectly oriented to the four directions. The perimeter circle was divided into 12 sides with 12 log posts. The plan was further divided by a central square that extended to the perimeter connecting to eight of the posts. Four additional lines were extended from the four corners of the square to the perimeter thereby connecting all 12 posts. Above the square is an eight-foot cube cupola with 12 windows representing the sky world above it, and below is an eightfoot cube storage representing the underworld. Refer to the north-south section in Figure 4.23a and the elevational photograph in Figure 4.23b. The chapel embodies the changing seasons, fluctuations in sunlight and the celestial rhythms of change. 4.22 The StarHouse exterior view from the southwest

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◼ ARCHITECTURE 4.23 The StarHouse: (a) N-S cross section, (b) West elevation

Construction of the StarHouse provided an opportunity to further the intentionality of the building program and desired use. The structure is constructed with primarily natural materials, stone, wood, tree posts from the site and a copper roof. Materials were nontoxic and the structure did not have any plumbing or electricity. The lack of electrical currents running throughout the structure allowed it to be less artificially charged or “energetically clean.” Lighting is natural during day or by candlelight at night. Beneath each of the 12 granite footings were placed gemstones for each of the months of the year. For example, for July were moonstones, for August were rose quarts, and for Virgo was a tiger’s eye. Glazing for the structure were Heat Mirrors providing transparency as well as insulation. The Vermont stove provided back-up heating along with heat generated by the participants. There were three ceremonies held during construction. They were groundbreaking at the beginning, beam walking during mid-construction, and consecration at its completion. The StarHouse is a good example of a thin place because of its intention, design, construction process and its function. According to the StarHouse website, “It is a space that is both incredibly alive and yet peacefully still.”25 The StarHouse is seen as an energetic field for refuge. It is clearly informed by the 20 place patterns and thin place dimensions. The remote 105-acre site in the Rocky Mountain foothills, Cardinal directions, pedestrian procession to the chapel, and the building form itself all add to the transformative experience. The vesica-shaped entry provides a passage space of pause before entering the main space. Once inside the space, your eye is drawn to the cupola and streaming light high from within. The four-foot diameter earth globe identifies

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4.24 The StarHouse geometry, plan and place patterns

the center while the 12 posts and perimeter wall define the boundary. The geometry of the space is evident through the posts and roof beams as seen in Figure 4.25a. The storage space, located beneath the main level, is accessed through a hatch in the floor and a steel ladder. To the southeast is a stone trough oriented directly toward the Winter Solstice sunrise at 40 degrees North Latitude. Figure 4.24 shows the organizing geometry superimposed on the floor plan with an indication of some of the thin place patterns.

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◼ ARCHITECTURE A thin place pattern analysis shows that the 20 patterns are clearly integrated into the design with passage, center, boundary, geometry, reaching upward, grounding, celestial orientation, materiality and ceremonial order among the most obvious. Of course, the light from the Winter Solstice, diffused light through the cupola and with the perimeter candles they all contribute to a thin place experience. This is further reinforced with the process of driving to the larger site, parking, walking to the structure and pausing in the entrance vesica where shoes are removed, and one prepares to enter the main space. Through the number of community, educational, artistic and spiritual venues, transcendent experiences readily occur. Place patterns are described below (Table 4.7): 1. Passage and threshold – the three-mile drive into the mountains to the site, the procession in the site to the building area, the entrance to the building and the finally the vesica vestibule, PRINCIPLE (Archetypal)

PATTERN (Ectypal)

PRESENCE (Quantitative)

EXPRESSION (Qualitative)

 

1

Passage

5

5

UNITY

2

Center & Centering

5

5

PRINCIPLE

3

Connecting

3

4

 

4

Bounding

5

5

Average

 

 

18

19

 

5

Symbolic

5

5

GENERATIVE

6

Nature Within

3

3

PRINCIPLE

7

Celestial

4

5

 

8

Views

3

4

Average

 

 

15

17

 

9

Geometric Order

5

5

FORMATIVE

10

Going Down

4

5

PRINCIPLE

11

Reaching Upward

5

5

 

12

Spatial Quality

5

5

Average

 

 

19

20

 

13

Orientation

5

5

CORPOREAL

14

Function

5

5

PRINCIPLE

15

Scale

4

4

 

16

Materiality

4

4

Average

 

 

18

18

 

17

Elemental

4

4

REGENERATIVE

18

Living Color

4

4

PRINCIPLE

19

Luminosity

4

4

 

20

Ceremonial

5

5

Average

 

 

17

17

 

4.35

4.55

TOTAL

 

Table 4.7 Starhouse Pattern Analysis

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2. Centering – the radiating floor geometry, kiva hatch in the center, the cupola and earth globe in the center, yet most importantly are the various activities that are celebrated within the space, 3. Extending outward and connecting – the double cross and the windows extending outwards, and the view of the winter solstice sunrise, 4. Differentiated bounding – the surrounding walls, windows, benches and the 12 columns for an interior boundary differentiated by the double cross and four directions, 5. Symbolic or historic content – embodied in the form are references to the numbers 4 (earth) and 12 (heavens) 6. Nature within – the 12 posts inside from trees positioned in the same direction as when they were alive on the site and surrounding views to the outside, 7. Celestial presence and awareness – the reference to the four directions, 12 zodiac signs, lunar cycles and the kiva space oriented to the winter solstice sunrise, 8. Discriminating views – its location in the woods, views to Solstice sunrise, 9. Domain and geometric order within – the strong mondolic 12-fold geometry, and the double Cardinal direction cross, 10. Going down and groundedness – the underground kiva and the canted stone foundation walls, 11. Reaching upward and verticality – the sloping ceiling and cupola, 12. Finding direction and orientation – cardinal directions orientation of the building, aligned with the North Star, and the winter solstice trough as experienced from the kiva, 13. Scalar context – the built-in benches and sloping interior ceiling create an intimate scale, while the orientation of the site to the night sky is vast, 14. Place function – spiritual, social or educational activities related to the changes of the season’s celestial phenomenon, 15. Tangible characteristics of form – the 12-fold (suggesting circularity) form supporting gathering, 16. Physical materiality – the stone foundations, wood interiors (floors, was, posts and ceiling), 17. Presence and awareness of the elements – the wood-burning stove, candles, vestibule water basin and natural light, 18. Living color – natural colors of wood interior, stone paths and walls, sunsets and night sky 19. Light and luminosity – the surrounding windows, light from above through the cupola and stained glass windows, flickering light from the perimeter candles and 20. Ceremonial participation – the procession to the StarHouse, the numerous arts performances, scholarly presentations, ceremonies and spiritual practices. The thin place analysis of the archetypal principles and ectypal patterns is based on the Likert scale, originally developed by psychologist Rensis Likert (1932). Each of the 20 patterns was assigned a numerical value of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) assessing both the presence (quantitative) and the quality of expression (qualitative) separately. The Unity and Formative Principles scored the highest and the pattern quality of expression (4.55) scored higher than the pattern presence (4.35), partly due to the focus on ceremonies. Among the highest scoring patterns were

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◼ ARCHITECTURE 4.25 The StarHouse interior: (a) main floor, (b) zodiac starmap projection

passage, centering, bounding, symbolic content, celestial, geometric order, spatial quality, orientation, function and ceremonial participation. Refer to Figure 4.25 for interior [photographs of the main space and a starmap projection]. Summary Both awe and serene emotions are present at the StarHouse. In addition to the StarHouse itself, the site has other sacred sites surrounding it that include a standing stone, a labyrinth, an outdoor meditation grove, a meditation dodecahedron, yeararound well and land-art tetractys. The archetypal form generator is the terrestrial star ark – a dwelling place to celebrate the changes of the seasons and the transit of constellations in the heavens. It is neither a planetarium nor observatory, but rather is a meeting place and vessel. As a meeting place, it is a place for meeting others, for meeting oneself, and for meeting the elemental and celestial phenomena that exist in nature. As a vessel, it connotates not only a container or caldron, but also a

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metaphor for its spiritual contents and all that is visible extending beyond to the invisible. The Unity and Formative principles contained the highest scored elicitors. The Unity principle creates a coherent, a singularity and harmonic sense of place while the Formative principle conforms to strong formal principles of three-dimensional design. The ectypal thin place patterns contribute in significant ways. Its 12-fold circularity is a powerful spatial organizer. With more active venues, such as music and dance, the ectypes combine and elicit the perception of vastness and exhilaration, and with the more meditation and yoga functions they elicit serenity and calm. Ceremonial participation is central to the purpose and function of the StarHouse. The awe and serene experiences create certain physiological effects including the diminished self-awareness, changing perception of time and a sense of connectedness depending upon the activity within the space. Both the more active and passive activities create positive moods and release stress. Participation during winter with its orientation and view of the exact point on the horizon for the solstice sunrise, can create awe in its vast, fascinating and wonder-filled form. The awe experience is not shocking, terror-filled or apprehensive (stronger experiences of vastness), but rather is surprising and amazing (gentler inner-more experiences of vastness). The serene experiences blend the natural beauty of the remote place, the quiet and peacefulness of the place, and the harmonic qualities of the design. Therefore, in response to vastness, the need for accommodation is lessoned as compared to other awe-inspired places. The StarHouse is a process building, and its function, geometry and the process by which it came into being are important facets that add to its ceremonial participation. The StarHouse, as a thin place, is an embodiment of celestial principles along with the awareness of the changing sacred seasons. The patterns that seem most exaggerated are centering, celestial and ceremonial order. I love the StarHouse so much. I was actually in your studio when you were designing it but also have spent countless hours there and know many of her secrets. I also feel tethered to her in a way I never have with any other building.26 CASE STUDY: TWO GLASS CHAPELS, MEXICO The La Estancia Wedding Gardens and Glass Chapel and the Ecumenical Chapel are located in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. Refer to Figure 4.26. Both sites are located about an hour south of Mexico City and is in a tropical climate. The actual name “Cuernavaca” means surrounded by or close to trees, which is apropos to the chapels, and its nickname is “the city of eternal spring,” because of its year around temperate climate. They were designed by Mexico City architect, Bunker Arquitectura, and built in 2008 and 2012 respectively. Both chapels are relatively small in scale and elicit serene experiences, but depending upon the events or ceremonies, may also elicit awe emotions. The La Estancia Wedding Chapel site was originally used for outdoor weddings beneath a canvas canopy and set within a traditional Mexican baroque colonial garden. The La Estancia Wedding Chapel is like a concretization of a thin place, because of its transparency where the insides appear so close to the sacred that exists outside and beyond. The client originally wanted a masonry colonial-style building however the chapel design used a contemporary language forming a simple glass 137  ◻

◼ ARCHITECTURE 4.26 Two chapels: (a) La Estancia wedding gardens and glass chapel, (b) Ecumenical Chapel

prism wrapped on four sides with U-profiled glazing units. It is a small, intimate rectangular structure 1,260 square feet (117 square meters) in size and was constructed in four months. Its location within the gardens was carefully selected to avoid disturbing any of the existing or trees. The space is an airy and luminous veil both in day and night. The crystalline form acts as a single membrane of glass panes with vent slits 4 inches (10cm) between each U-shaped glass piece. Air conditioning was not necessary as the design created a well ventilated and highly daylit space. In the altar façade, a cross was outlined and subtracted from the glass veil creating a window that looks out onto the surrounding garden and adding to the thin place quality of the design. According to the architects, the chapel was conceived in a box and compressed to form a peaked roof, and

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different shapes were traced on its lateral facades to form a prism which was then subtracted from the main volume. This crisp geometry of the crystal chapel is in contrast to the natural vegetation and overhanging arching canopy of Jacaranda trees. The Ecumenical Chapel also located in Cuernavaca, Mexico is intended as a nonreligious and flexible space for meditation, contemplation and self-discovery. The chapel sits in an excavated space mostly below grade and surrounded by a spiraling ramp and green wall with a vertical garden. The roof of the structure is a water pond with a slightly raised oculus letting in sunlight, but not water. In the center of the chapel is a metallic fountain with a large quartz. The structure celebrates the elements: fire (oculus and sun), earth (the underground), water (above pond) and air (the translucent walls). Refer to Figure 4.27 for a side by side comparisons of exteriors and interiors of each chapel. The designs are a wonderful expression of a thin places creating a veil between inside and outside and creating a serene and peaceful emotional response of awe. The transparent and translucent walls bring the surrounding landscapes within each structure. While the intimate chapel spaces focus inward on the altar and wedding ceremonies and meditation, and the center, the transparent walls act as a veil and connect the internal experience to the landscape world beyond. The thin place analysis of the archetypal principles and ectypal patterns are based on the Likert scale, originally developed by psychologist Renis Likert (1932). Each of the 20 patterns was assigned a numerical value of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) assessing the presence (quantitative) only. High scores of 5 on the Likert scale for the La Estancia Glass Chapel are for connecting, bounding, nature, views, scale, function, color, light and ceremony. For the Ecumenical Chapel high scores are for the patterns passage, centering, bounding, nature, grounding, verticality, scale, functional intent, elemental materiality and especially luminosity. 4.27 La Estancia wedding Chapel: (a) night view, (b) interior view, the ecumenical chapel, (c) garden view, (d) interior view

 

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◼ ARCHITECTURE The architecture of awe suggests that certain architectural experiences are captivating, immersive, absorbing and possess qualities of vastness. Research into default mode network (DMN), which is associated with the reduced activation of self-referential processing of the brain, has shown to be awe inspired self-referential with the experience of being smaller.27 Certainly great works of architecture can stimulate an awe experience. In contrast to the awe effect on architecture is the serene. Serene environments are seen to have views of nature, diffused natural light and calming colors, clutter-less order, low-arousal settings, human scale, soothing materials and spaces that engage the senses.28 Discriminating views and elimination of noise distractions are important in maintaining calm. Where vast awe experiences appear to be more universal, serene experiences are more personal, subjective and are difficult to objectify. However, thin places that elicit the serene have the same patterns yet expressed differently than awe inspired patterns. For these two chapels both scale and luminosity are the dominant patterns leading to serene experiences (Table 4.8). PRINCIPLE (Archetypal)

PATTERN (Ectypal)

LA ESTANCIA (Quantitative)

ECUMENICAL (Quantitative)

 

1

Passage

4

5

UNITY

2

Center & Centering

5

5

PRINCIPLE

3

Connecting

5

5

 

4

Bounding

5

5

Average

 

 

19

20

 

5

Symbolic

4

3

GENERATIVE

6

Nature Within

4

5

PRINCIPLE

7

Celestial

2

4

 

8

Views

4

4

Average

 

 

14

16

 

9

Geometric Order

5

5

FORMATIVE

10

Going Down

3

5

PRINCIPLE

11

Reaching Upward

3

4

 

12

Spatial Quality

4

4

Average

 

 

15

18

 

13

Orientation

5

4

CORPOREAL

14

Function

5

5

PRINCIPLE

15

Scale

5

5

 

16

Materiality

5

5

Average

 

 

20

19

 

17

Elemental

4

5

REGENERATIVE

18

Living Color

4

4

PRINCIPLE

19

Luminosity

5

5

 

20

Ceremonial

5

4

Average TOTAL

   

   

18

18

4.30

4.55

Table 4.8 Glass Chapels’ Pattern Analysis

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Summary The awe and serene emotions for the two chapels are similar due to their locations, relatively intimate sizes and luminous qualities. The archetypal form generator is the chapel – a sacred place to celebrate weddings and a place for meditation. The Unity, Formative and Regenerative principles contained the highest scored elicitors. The Unity principle creates a coherent, a singularity and harmonic sense of place, the Formal principle conforms to formal principles of three-dimensional design, and the Regenerative principle scored high on luminosity and ceremonial participation. The ectypal thin place patterns that contributed in significant ways were connecting, bounding, views nature within, scale, function, luminosity and ceremonial participation. Like other chapels, the awe experience is not shocking, terror-filled or apprehensive (stronger experiences of vastness), but rather is surprising and amazing (gentler experiences of vastness). The serene experiences blend the natural beauty of the surrounding landscapes, the quiet and peacefulness of the places, and the luminous qualities of the designs. The two glass chapels illustrate how a thin place can begin to express in its physical form and material the idea of the thinness of the veil. The case studies provide visible examples and the pattern attributes that serve as guidelines for their design. The side-by-side comparisons of the Rothko and Ronchamp chapels showed similar overall pattern presence and quality of expression but revealed the function of varying pattern sets and differing awe and serene emotional experiences. The architectural and urban design case studies that scored the highest for presence and expression were Skellig Michael (4.45 and 4.55) and the Wadi Bani Oasis (4.30 and 4.45). This is due to the intended architectural focus on transformative experiences and provisions for ceremonial participation, and the natural settings for the oasis and StarHouse. Skellig Michael is an extraordinary landscape and representation of Irish thin places. Siena Campo and Civitella scored (4.15 and 4.25) and (4.15. and 4.35) respectively. The smaller scaled case studies also scored well with Ronchamp Chapel (4.50), Twilight Epiphany Skyspace (4.45 and 4.65), The StarHouse (4.35 and 4.55) and the Glass Chapels (4.30 and 4.50). The two glass chapels in Cuernavaca, Mexico are visible examples of thin places with their ethereal walls and luminous qualities. The thin place analyses give grammar to a new narrative language for the design of extraordinary architecture of the numinous. The case studies that scored the largest number of a score of #5 in the Likert Scale were the Wadi Bani Oasis (quality), Ronchamp and Ecumenical Chapel, (presence), Skellig Island, Twilight Epiphany Skyspace, StarHouse (presence and quality). When the presence of these patterns are strong and the quality of their expression accompanies them, then the awe experience is likely to occur especially as they express vastness, wonder, beauty or novel, or new information about the environment.29 The positive outcomes from experiences of the Siena Campo, Civitella, Skellig Island or the Oasis most likely create a sense of the small-self, vastness, wonder and pro-environmental behaviors. The positive outcomes from experiences of buildings like the Rothko, Ronchamp, and the two Glass chapels, are likely to evoke spiritual feelings or self-transcendence, self-reflection, serenity and pro-social behaviors. And structures like the Twilight

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◼ ARCHITECTURE Epiphany Skyspace and the StarHouse are likely to elicit positive moods and both vastness and serenity, and in the case of the StarHouse feelings of connectedness and pro-social behaviors. Table 4.9 shows a summary of the total Likert Scale numbers for the 20-ectypal patterns for the architectural and urban case studies. The totals in the right column were calculated by multiplying the accumulated patterns numbers from the ten studies by the Likert Scale number of 1–5. For example, the total pattern presence numbers (6 and 4) for the passage pattern from the case studies, times the Likert Scale value for Strongly Agree (5) and Agree (4) added together equals (46) [(5 × 6 = 30) + (4 × 4 = 16) = 46]. The orange boxes show the patterns with the highest numbers (50 and 30) for bounding. Among the case studies’ thin place pattern elicitors of passage, centering, bounding, spatial quality, place function, materiality and ceremonial participation scored the highest. The lowest indicated in the blue boxes were connecting, symbolic, nature within, celestial, orientation, views, and color. The blue boxes show the patterns with the lowest numbers 33 (presence) and 23 (quality). The higher-scoring patterns tended to have a greater physical presence and purpose compared to the lower-scoring patterns which the physical nature of the patterns were less visible and often more subtle. For example, connecting, symbolism, nature within, celestial presence, orientation and living color are often less obvious and usually have a lower impact on the thin place presence unless the purpose of the place is directed to those

Table 4.9 Magnitude of Thin Place Patterns

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patterns. In some instances, they scored high under quality, such as for views, celestial presence and living color. An exception would occur if they were exaggerated, such as featuring an important historic site or a colorful sunset. Four of the case studies were evaluated on presence only (shown in green), which were the Rothko, Ronchamp, La Estancia and La Ecumenical Chapels. Thin places at these scales often occur with extraordinary architectural projects and culturally significant urban settings. SUMMARY OF ARCHITECTURAL PATTERN EFFECTIVENESS Patterns are listed in descending order of magnitude according to their Likert number totals for pattern presence: 1. Differentiated bounding – perception of the boundary defines the sense and scale of the place, it is identifiable and functions equally in natural, urban and functions by creating containment within, protection from without, and porosity of natural and spiritual energies flowing through. The Campo di Siena, Civitella and Skellig Island are good examples of this pattern. The value of 50. 2. Center and Centering – most sites either have a distinct center or possess a focus allowing for a centering process. The center often possesses special energetic qualities as described by genius loci or spirit of place. The Wadi Bani Oasis, Twilight Epiphany and StarHouse are good examples of this pattern. The value of 49. 3. Ceremonial participation – participation, whether it is active or passive, is essential for the thin place experience. Rothko and Ronchamp Chapels, La Estancia Chapel and the StarHouse are good examples of this pattern. The value of 47. 4. Place function – the place function, whether intentional or unintentional, directly activates participation. Twilight Epiphany, Wadi Bani Oasis and StarHouse are good examples of this pattern. The value of 46. 4. Passage and threshold – the progression and passage to a thin place provides a physical, mental and emotional transition to a thin place. Campo di Siena, Skellig Island and La Estancia Chapel are good examples of this pattern. The value of 46. 4. Spatial quality – the sense of space, whether expansive or intimate, is a powerful elicitor of the emotional experiences. Campo di Siena, Twilight Epiphany, Ronchamp Chapel are good examples of this pattern. The value of 46. 4. Physical materiality – the physical qualities and characteristics transforms from the tangible and more dense qualities of the physical place dissolving to the less dense ethereal. Skellig Island, Wadi Bani Oasis are good examples of this pattern. The value of 46. 5. Going down and groundedness – the connections to the Earth and responses to gravity provide grounding to place. It signifies tangibility, safety, protection and stability providing substantive protection for thin place experiences.

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◼ ARCHITECTURE Badi Wani Oasis and Ecumenical Chapel are good examples of this pattern. The value of 45. 5. Scale – the vastness and intimacy of a thin place reinforce the awe and serene emotional responses, and it refers to the relationship and measure of the order of magnitude among natural and built elements of the environment to people. Rothko Chapel, La Estancia Chapel and Ecumenical Chapel are good examples of this pattern. The value of 45. 6. Geometric order within – provide shapes for the procession into a thin place, spatial structures of the thin place itself, functional relationships, and proportional systems, patterns and ratios, as well as symbolic meanings. Rothko Chapel and StarHouse are good examples of this pattern. The value of 43. 6. Presence and awareness of the elements – the terrestrial or classical elements are patterns of transformation where fire warms the body, earth feels good to the touch and gives protection and stability, fresh air stimulates positive thoughts and refreshes our breathing, water churns the emotions and replenishes most internal bodily functions, and ether moves the spirit and the sense of wonder. Skellig Island and Wadi Bani Oasis are good examples of this pattern. The value of 43. 6. Reaching upward and verticality – is the path from below to that which is above, and this path transitions to the less dense and ethereal. It is the connection between the Earth (the human, tangible and substantial) and Heaven (the Godly, celestial and intangible). Campo di Siena and Twilight Epiphany are good examples of this pattern. The value of 43. 6. Light and luminosity – fluid luminosity refers to the changing qualities of light, whether it is due to fluctuating conditions, source, color or physical design. Light is natural, dynamic and can be direct, filtered, diffused or reflected. Twilight Epiphany, Ronchamp Chapel, La Estancia Chapel and Ecumenical Chapel are good examples of this pattern. The value of 43. 7. Finding direction and orientation – meaningful orientation or finding direction gives purpose and connections to the thin place, such as the cardinal directions, the natural contours or geology of a site, views and vistas of special features both near and far, solar movements like solstices and equinoxes, or to symbolic orientations. Rothko Chapel and StarHouse are good examples of this pattern. The value of 42. 7. Discriminating views – large-scale vistas are inspiring and remind us of how vast the natural world really is or how extraordinary monumental architecture van be. Intimate and framed views are soothing and contribute to eliciting qualities of thin places and unwanted view are obscured. Skellig Island, Ronchamp Chapel and La Estancia Chapel are good examples of this pattern. The value of 42. 7. Living color – living color invokes a transcendent dimension with regenerative powers and expresses a visible and vital element of life. While scoring fairly low with the pattern presence, it scores higher in quality of expression, Skellig Island and Twilight Epiphany are good examples of this pattern. The value of 42.

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7. Symbolic or historic content – the symbolic connections nurture and integrate historic, cultural, geographic, ecological, and collective values, and spiritual sensitivities to nature and place. They represent a shared identity and a sense of belonging. Campo di Siena, Ronchamp Chapel and StarHouse are good examples of this pattern. The value of 42. 8. Extending outward and connecting – the outward extension and connects the participant to the source(s) of the experience and the nature of the thin place. Civitella, Skellig Island and La Estancia Chapel are good examples of this pattern. The value of 41. 9. Nature within – nature within includes the plant and animal kingdoms that provide the taming quality of the wild, disordered and chaotic brought into safe and natural surroundings. Nature within is typically more difficult to achieve with interior-oriented places. Skellig Island and Wadi Bana Oasis are good examples of this pattern as they are primarily outdoor spaces. The value of 34. 10. Celestial presence and awareness – celestial connections are difficult to achieve in indoor places unless intentionally designed with special windows or oculi. While scoring fairly low with the pattern presence, it scores higher in quality of expression, Twilight Epiphany, StarHouse and Ronchamp Chapel are good examples of this pattern. The value of 33. The Summary of Architectural Scale Pattern Effectiveness lists in descending order the patterns that scored highest in the analysis and indicates the case studies that exemplified the pattern. It should be noted that the perception of vastness associated with awe experiences and the perception of calm and peacefulness with serene experiences can include how the architecture is framed and scaled, and its uniqueness, contrast, spatial quality, use of light, and the ways in which one participates in the experience. The combination of these patterns can be used as guidelines for the design of thin places. The language of these patterns and the ways in which they combined to support the design of thin places is further explored in the Chapter 5 with smaller-scale and everyday examples. It might be big or small, natural or man-made, but it stops you cold – while other positive emotions arouse the body, people feeling awe are very still – and makes you re-evaluate what you actually know.30 NOTES 1. Bermudez, Julio, Phenomenology of the Architectural Extraordinary and MerleauPonty’s Philosophy. Architecture, Culture, and Architecture (London, UK: Routledge, 2015), p. 45. 2. Arad, Michael and Peter Walker, Architect and 9/11 Memorial Both Evolved Over the Years (Accessed September 12, 2021) https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/arts/design/how-the911-memorial-changed-its-architect-michael-arad.html 3. Lawlor, Anthony, The Temple in the House (New York, NY: Tarcher/Putnam, 1994).

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◼ ARCHITECTURE 4. Lane, Belden, Landscapes of the Sacred: Geography and Narrative in American Spirituality (Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1988), p. 19. 5. Capineri, Cristina, Haosheng Huang, Georg Gartner, Tracking Emotions in Urban Space. Two Experiments in Vienna and Siena (Accessed January 20, 2022) http://www.geo.uzh. ch/~hhuang/pdfs/rgi_3_18_Tracking%20emotions_in_urban_space.pdf 6. What a Square So Historic (Accessed September 4, 2022) https://www.tripadvisor.com/ ShowUserReviews-g187902-d195555-r196587522-Piazza_del_Campo-Siena_Tuscany. html 7. Horn, Walter, Jenny White Marshall and Grellan D. Rourke, The Forgotten Hermitage of Skellig Michael (Accessed July 28, 2022) https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/ view?docId=ft1d5nb0gb;chunk.id=0;doc.view=print 8. The Shape of the Earth: Who Discovered the Fact that the Earth is Spherical? (Accessed October 27, 2022) https://replogleglobes.com/blog/the-shape-of-the-earthwho-discovered-the-fact-that-the-earth-is-spherical/ 9. Horn, Walter, Jenny White Marshall and Grellan D. Rourke, The Forgotten Hermitage of Skellig Michael (Accessed July 28, 2022) https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/ view?docId=ft1d5nb0gb;chunk.id=0;doc.view=print 10. Scherman, Katharine, The Flowering of Ireland (Accessed October 28, 2022) https://www. irishamerica.com/2013/03/a-sacred-place-skellig-michael/ 11. Environmental Portraits, An Oasis in the Desert: Wadi Bani Khalid Sultanate of Oman (Accessed October 15, 2021) https://www.ursulasweeklywanders.com/environmental-portraits/ an-oasis-in-the-desert-wadi-bani-khalid-sultanate-of-oman/ 12. Wonderful Spot (Accessed September 4, 2022) https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_ Review-g1940497-d2299517-Reviews-or130-Wadi_Bani_Khalid-Muscat_Muscat_ Governorate.html 13. Charles Jencks, Le Corbusier and the Tragic View of Architecture (London, UK: Allen Lane, 1973), pp. 151–153. 14. Phillip Tabb, Semantic Cosmologies of the Ronchamp and Rothko Chapels (Houston, TX: Image of the Not-7). 15. Lawlor, Robert, Sacred Geometry: Philosophy and Practice (London, UK: Thames and Hudson, 1982), p. 31. 16. Coombs, Robert, Robert Coombs, Mystical Themes in Le Corbusier’s Architecture in the Chapel Notre-Dame du Haut at Ronchamp (Lewistown, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 2000). 17. Phillip Tabb, Semantic Cosmologies of the Ronchamp and Rothko Chapels (Houston, TX: Image of the Not-7). 18. Dominique de Menil as quoted in Linda Peterson, The Handbook of Texas On-line (Accessed January 20, 2022) http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/RR/klrl.html 19. Charles Jencks, Le Corbusier and the Tragic View of Architecture (London, UK: Allen Lane, 1973). 20. Turrell, James (Accessed September 22, 2021) https://jamesturrell.com/about/ introduction/ 21. A Delightful and thoughtful work that must be experienced (Accessed September 4, 2022) https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g56003-d3870345-r757907688-James_ Turrell_s_Twilight_Epiphany_Skyscape-Houston_Texas.html 22. David B. Yaden, Scott Barry Kaufman, Elizabeth Hyde, Alice Chirico, Andrea Gaggioli, Jia Wei Zhang and Dacher Keltner, The development of the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S): A multifactorial measure for a complex emotion (Accessed January 15, 2022) https://scottbarrykaufman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/The-development-of-the-Awe-ExperienceScale-AWE-S-A-multifactorial-measure-for-a-complex-emotion.pdf 23. Nabokov, Peter and Robert Easton, Native American Architecture (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1989), p. 71. 24. Robbins Michael D., Tapestry of the Gods, Volume I, The Seven Rays an Esoteric Key to Understanding Human Nature (Jersey City, NJ: University of the Seven Rays Publishing House, 1988) pp. vi–vii.

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25. StarHouse website (Accessed August 15, 2021) https://www.thestarhouse.org/ events-and-cources 26. Gunn, Raven, Text message about her experience at the StarHouse (Accessed September 2, 2022) 27. van Ilk, Michael, Andrea Arciniegas Gomez, Wietske van der Zwaag, Hin van Schie and Disa Sauter, The neural correlates of the awe experience: Reduced default mode network activity during feelings of awe (Accessed November 17, 2021) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ doi/10.1002/hbm.24616 28. Cost, Brittany, 12 Tips for Creating a Serene Space (Accessed November 17, 2021) https:// www.chairish.com/blog/tips-for-creating-a-serene-space/amp/ 29. Shiota, Michelle N., Campos, Belinda, Oveis, Christopher, Hertenstein, Matthew J., SimonThomas, Emiliana and Keltner, Dacher (2017). Beyond happiness: Building a science of discrete positive emotions. American Psychologist, 72(7), 617–643. https://doi.org/10.1037/ a0040456 30. Laskow, Sarah, the Mind-Bending Science of Awe (Accessed November 17, 2021) https:// slate.com/human-interest/2015/09/psychologists-are-trying-to-better-understand-theemotion-of-awe.html

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5 EVERYDAY Thin Place Experiences

EVERYDAY THIN PLACE EXPERIENCES Everyday Experiences Instead of valorizing the sublime, extraordinary, monumental and spectacular landscapes and works of architecture, the more common expressions of thin places are explored in this section. Everyday architecture is quite distinct from more significant examples. Extraordinary architecture is often characterized by beautiful sites, heroic formal dexterities with a focus on authorship, intellectual intrigue, spatial generosity, dramatic use of light and incorporation of superior, often exotic, materials. They tend to be more public, urban, monumental and representing culturally significant programs or functions. By contrast, everyday thin places are most often domestic, individualistic, personal, authorless, soulful and normative, and most often are developed from lived everyday experiences. According to Mary McLeod, everyday life in Henri Lefebvre’ writings is elusive, inherently nonphilosophical, beyond categorization and representative of “real-life” experiences.1 Thomas Moore in his work, The Enchantment of Everyday Life, describes enchantment as the inflow of spirituality in everyday activities.2 Thin places in this sense occur somewhat spontaneously through the process of everyday spaces and normal living patterns. This generally occurs in our homes, workplaces, schools, churches, local parks and the urban networks that connect these places. Another frequent source occurs for those fortunate to live near nature. According to John Swanson, experiencing nature as a living presence infuses the divine.3 To Christopher Day, places of soul assume the human factor and quality of experience.4 Placemaking is an instinctual function of being human. It is an inherited process that guides our process of selecting of a place in which to live, a home that is functional and supportive, and a location that is safe to raise children. Proximity to work, schools, daycare, parks, essential goods and services, and places that support community is important. Stopping on a footbridge overlooking a small stream on a daily walk creates quiet numinous moment. Within the context of these everyday activities and the places that support them are opportunities where thin place experiences can occur. Similarly, finding a campsite deep in the woods brings up similar instincts. A campsite will typically have a trail or passage to it, a clear sense of place, a center and a boundary, views to the natural features of the site, prospect and refuge, closeness to water and it will support a social focus or central firepit for cooking and gazing. These are examples of thin placemaking processes functioning

DOI: 10.4324/9781003354888-5

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at the everyday scale. Characteristics of everyday thin places, especially within domestic settings, usually occur as intimate humble settings supporting ceremonial participation (meditation, quiet moments and special family gatherings), and are considered in Michael Brill’s words to be “embraced places.”5 Brill goes on to suggest that all places, whether profane or sacred, borrow some sacrality and share similar salient characteristics. In this sense, a home or domestic space is simultaneously functional and hallowed. The common characteristics of everyday thin places have similar attributes. While on one hand they possess strong placemaking patterns, on the other hand they invite personal participatory interaction with the setting rendering them thin. Everyday thin places can occur with simply sitting in a sun-filled window seat or on a park bench, Figure 5.1. Soulful places characterized everyday thin place experiences. They are places that you feel particularly drawn to, and that make you feel at home. They are typically familiar, often nostalgic and they elicit deep emotions and inner peace. In nature these more intimate thin places are mysterious and pensive. Transformation in these more intimate or personalized places can be meaningful and fulfilling. 6 Places in the home that typically support thin place experiences include a sanctuary space, a study area, the mantle and the fireplace, the kitchen as the alchemy center of the home, the dining table for celebratory meals, a bedroom alcove, man cave, a special place in the garden, or even a hiding place. In the office or school, they are most likely the places that you occupy, where you sit or work. Thin places of the everyday are often encountered and routinely follow daily activities. They occur in the ordinary passage of time although they can happen during special home-base celebrations. They include activities that follow waking in the morning, ablutions, a morning coffee, preparing meals, daily quiet times and special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. According to James Swan, there are a variety of sacred places including purification sites, healing places, astronomical observation sites, historical sites, mythic sites, burial grounds, cemeteries, fertility sites, shrines and places for spiritual renewal.7 Often these sites and the activities they engender are intimate in scale and are part of everyday life. Families often experience thin places while in nature from camping and hiking to a picnics and catching fireflies. A forest campground is a good example of the design of a thin place as is created intuitively with placemaking patterns. There is a pathway that typically leads through the forest to a clearing that is defined by some sort of boundary such as rock outcrops or a circle of trees where there seems to be a sense of place. The tent is located near the center and has a sense of refuge, there is a central firepit surrounded by logs or stones to sit on and there are views to a river, waterfall or valley below. The placemaking characteristics of passage, center, boundary, nature within, spatial geometry, the ground, a sense of direction, the elements, views and ceremonial participation all seem to apply. The intuitive process of organizing a campground seems to conjure up very instinctual memories perhaps of the first place. Other small everyday thin places can occur as in a quiet morning coffee in a Florence café, or with an intimate picnic lunch in a quiet courtyard, Figure 5.2. Places, such as these do not necessarily exclude extraordinary experience, but tend

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5.1 Small thin places in everyday life: (a) intimate window seat, (b) park bench

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5.2 Small thin places in everyday life: (a) cappuccino in Florence, Italy, (b) picnic lunch

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◼ EVERYDAY to provide more intimate, soulful and reflective ones. Everyday thin places vary in type, scale, purpose and location, with the following characteristics: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Most often they are intimate spaces They are places with a personal past They are usually well defined or bounded They are safe from harm and places of refuge They are found or created in special locations They are part of everyday living They often contain personal symbols They are modest and authentic They have soulful qualities They have qualities of calm, grace and respect They elicit introspective and contemplative responses These places tend to be private rather than public Everyday thin places are easily accessible Often, they are individual experiences They also are family experiences There is ceremonial connection or ritual

Thin places that elicit serene emotions tend to be quiet, protected and small in scale. They often are experienced by one person or in a small group and most often result in personal health and wellness outcomes, although pro-social and proenvironmental behaviors also accompany them. They typically are quiet, calm and peaceful. Thin places that occur within everyday settings provide pause, moments for reflection and personal connection to the numinous. They can occur in purposedesign spaces or in ordinary domestic spaces like living, dining, play, home office, study or library and bedrooms. They can occur in window seats, or with an altar above the fireplace. While not as intense or overwhelming as awe experiences, they tend to provide solace, stress reduction, reduced blood pressure, immune system boosts and other wellness benefits. And most importantly, they are accessible on a daily basis. Architectural passageways, like thresholds, gates, bridges, and arches, both provoke and evoke passages in our growth.8 CASE STUDY: THE STEEPLE DINGLE, IRELAND The Steeple Dingle is the preservation, careful restoration and interior renovation of the 150-year-old Kilmalkedar church overlooking the sea at Muirioch, Kerry, Ireland. 9 The iconic traditional gable form with steeple made of stone and slate is contrasted with the unique contemporary free-standing steel and glass structure inside which now serves as a private residence. It is the contrast between the new and the old, the church typology and residential function, and the vernacular and contemporary materials that render this a thin place. The residential functions serve opportunities for everyday thin place experiences. Many ectypal patterns contribute to this

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experience where both awe and serenity can coexist. The mezzanine structure is free-standing beneath the ceiling, beams and purlins with space all around it allowing for autonomy and in-streaming light. Painted tubular columns and an open-riser stair are the only physical touching points for the new with the old. The ectypal patterns are easily observable from within the structure. The thin place experience occurs with the passive cluster of emotions – serenity, content, joy, amazement, surprise, reverence, calm and peacefulness. Also, there is a feeling of awe due to the historic nature of the place, the spatial quality and sheer contrast of the two structures, Figures 5.3 and 5.4. Clearly the patterns of historic content, passage, boundary, reaching upward, the spatial quality, materiality, light and the ceremonial participation are important contributors to the thin place experience. Orientation is a subtle pattern between the existing structure and the addition particularly with aligning with the existing windows, and the Cardinal orientation of the structure. Figure 5.4 shows images of the solidity of the new front door, Neo-Gothic entryway with views back to the peaceful valley beyond, the living area on the main level of the church and an interior image of the free-standing steel structure that floats above the dining area and beneath the ceiling within the sacred space. None of the existing windows were blocked allowing for streaming light to enter the entire space. Two bedrooms were housed on the second-level mezzanine and glassed-in to provide privacy and sanctuary. Following is a listing land description of the ectypal patterns within the Steeple Dingle: 1. Passage and threshold – the passage to the site and within the building create anticipation and the exterior entry portal, new heavy wood door and entryway provide moments of pause, 2. Center and Centering – there is a sense of center with the steel and glass structure within the main volume of the chapel and the dining table below it, 3. Extending outward and connecting – the church shell is massive made of stone and plaster and with the smaller window openings, there is a controlled sense of connected to the outside, 5.3 The Steeple Dingle, Ireland

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◼ EVERYDAY 5.4 The Steeples Dingle interiors: (a) entry door, (b) passage and entry, (c) living area, (d) steel structure

 

 

4. Differentiated bounding – Because of the massive stone and plaster walls and the degree of containment, there is a strong sense of bounding, and there is a low stone wall surrounding the church property, 5. Symbolic or historic content – There is an historic or symbolic meaning to the chapel and site as a religious space as well on a personal basis as a dwelling, 6. Nature within – Nature is limited to interior pants and glimpses outside to the surrounding landscape, 7. Celestial presence and awareness – there is not a strong solar awareness as the climate and fenestrations limit access to it, 8. Discriminating views – views are directed to the small window walls upward and beyond to the surrounding landscape and to various elements within the space,

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9. Geometric order within – the geometry of the chapel and bedroom structure are rectangular volumes with the chapel having a gable roof/ceiling, 10. Going down and groundedness – the stone exterior walls express gravity and have a slightly widened stone foundation that grounds the building and the new floor inside is polished concrete, 11. Reaching upward and verticality – the Neo-Gothic form and arches reach up and the bell tower even more so lifting up to the sky, 12. Finding direction and orientation – the initial chapel is oriented with its entrance to the north north-west, and the tri-windows to the west and the sea, the steeple to the east, 13. Scalar context – the chapel is modest in size (approximately 50 feet by 25 feet) and the interior elements (new structure, chairs, tables, house plants and wall paintings) add to human scale, 14. Place function – the initial purpose was that of religious functions, but later was re-purposed into a family dwelling, 15. Spatial quality – the space design is efficient with the simple interior volumes, the open-riser stair connection the two spaces, and the juxtaposition of the new and old interiors is breathtaking, 16. Physical materiality – the exterior shell of the church itself is of massive stone and plaster while the floating structure inside is of reductionist design and made of steel and glass, 17. Presence and awareness of the elements – fire (in the form of corner wood stove), earth (in the form of the stone walls and foundation) and water (with the views to the sea), air (with the large windows) and ether (with spatial and light qualities), 18. Living color – color pigments are natural from the stone on the exterior and white plaster on the interior, 19. Light and luminosity – light is natural and strongly present streaming down from all sides of the structure, and there is intense light from the larger end windows and 20. Ceremonial participation – participation happened over the 150 years as a chapel and now occurs through the entry sequence and everyday functions of living. The ectypal patterns for quality and expression average the same at 4.30 and 4.35. The spaces are not immediately extraordinary, yet upon experiencing them, feelings of awe and serenity set in. Perhaps these thin place emotions arise because of the familiarity with the small church form and function, warm feelings from the stone walls and spiritual qualities with the vertical windows versus the new contemporary interior form, its domestic function and steel and glass materials that is so unexpected and surprising. One does not expect to see a house within a church. Also, the attention to detail such as simplicity, color, texture and materials might also contribute. In an unusual setting like this, it is not surprising to see the presence and expression the same. The experience between the historic sacred environments is unexpectantly contrasted to the transformed domestic dwelling. Only the Generative Principle scores lower than the others. While nature is limited

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◼ EVERYDAY inside, it is abundant surrounding the Steeple. The highest-scoring ectypal patterns are passage, bounding, symbolic and historic content, reaching upward, spatial quality, function, materiality, luminosity and ceremonial participation. The numinous is experienced on several levels from awe of the built works to the serenity of the surrounding landscape and setting (Table 5.1). The beautiful drive to the Steeple Dingle and the surrounding countryside are extremely peaceful. The juxtaposing and somewhat contradicting forms create a pleasant tension, curiosity, surprise and unexpected encounter with the interior place. Figure 5.5 illustrates the thin place patterns that occur on the two levels of the design and shows a three-dimensional model of the new interior architecture. The concentric red circles show places within the design where varying numinous moments can occur (entryway, dining area, living space, and the two bedrooms and the top of the stairs looking out of the Gothic windows). Initially views are

PRINCIPLE (Archetypal)

PATTERN (Ectypal)

PRESENCE (Quantitative)

EXPRESSION (Qualitative)

 

1

Passage

5

5

UNITY

2

Center & Centering

4

4

PRINCIPLE

3

Connecting

4

4

 

4

Bounding

5

5

Average

 

 

18

18

 

5

Symbolic/Historic

5

5

GENERATIVE

6

Nature Within

3

3

PRINCIPLE

7

Celestial

3

3

 

8

Views

4

5

Average

 

 

15

16

 

9

Geometric Order

4

4

FORMATIVE

10

Going Down

4

4

PRINCIPLE

11

Reaching Upward

5

5

 

12

Spatial Quality

5

5

Average

 

 

18

18

 

13

Orientation

4

4

CORPOREAL

14

Function

5

5

PRINCIPLE

15

Scale

4

4

 

16

Materiality

5

5

Average

 

 

18

18

 

17

Elemental

4

4

REGENERATIVE

18

Living Color

4

4

PRINCIPLE

19

Luminosity

5

5

 

20

Ceremonial

4

4

Average TOTAL

   

 

17

17

 

4.30

4.35

Table 5.1 The Steeple Pattern Analysis

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5.5 The Steeple Dingle: (a) floor plan place analysis, (b) owner-generated sketch-up model

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◼ EVERYDAY obscured by the massive walls and inside structure, but later looking through them is inspiring. The entry sequence, dining area, two-story living area and mezzanine bedrooms adjacent to the large glass windows are the more obvious thin places. The patterns that seem most exaggerated are bounding, spatial character and function. The Sketch-up model was created by the owner and shows the difference between the massive stone walls of the church versus the more delicate steel frame and curtain wall glazing. There also are glass ceilings in order to see the existing wooden roof trusses. The two upstairs bedrooms and bathroom receive borrowed light from the existing church windows. The historic and symbolic, the functional and the active participation patterns were difficult to evaluate because of the drastically changing use from a religious chapel to a residence. Most likely the nature of the thin place experiences were different as well. Summary The Steeple Dingle is a wonderful expression of contradiction and ambiguity that can be shockingly awe-inspired because experience of the interior is quite unexpected and unusual. This shock is not terrifying as in vast and larger-scaled examples, nevertheless the awe-struck experience is surprising and amazing. Yet as a thin place, it too creates a sense of nostalgia, wonder and fascination. And like Skellig Michael, it finds a sense of silence, moments of repose and feelings of serenity. It too, can function as a sanctuary space for homework and for healing. The patterns that seem to contribute most to the experience, include passage where one moves from the chapel’s outside into the transitional entrance foyer, and then inside to the spatial quality of the contemporary interior. The bedrooms’ mezzanine structure occupies the center of the interior space which is bounded by the thick stone whitewashed interior walls. The dining table is position beneath the mezzanine creating a focus in the center of the chapel. Views are discriminated through the positioning of the windows, their vertical aspect and use of cut glass, and they preserved the panorama of the nearby Atlantic Ocean to the west and the green pastureland to the east. From the outside of the chapel, the steeple is aspirational reaching upward as are the Gothic arches and plaster ceiling on the interior. The exterior stone and raised foundation certainly ground the chapel to its site. The materials are an intriguing juxtaposition of old and new. The symbolic and historic nature of the chapel certainly give it mystery and a sense of the sacred. And finally, moving through the interior creates participation with the stunning spatial variety and contrasting architectural languages. Upon completion of the renovation, the Steeple Dingle became not only a home for the owners but the location for their wedding ceremony. It was somewhat difficult to evaluate the pattern function (14) and ceremonial participation (20) due to the historically different use of the building. Figure 5.6 shows the Steeple Dingle in its landscape context and a glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean. For my own experience of this case study, I found the initial approach and entry into the space to be exhilarating and quite unusual. Yet upon spending an evening with the owners, I found it to be comfortable and quite domestic. I easily settled in and in fact forgot that I was in a church and contemporary intervention. It felt pleasant and normal. The Steeple Dingle, as a thin place, is a small-scale and domestic example of a historic site and 150-year-old building wedded to contemporary needs supported by contrasting interior architecture. There are many thin place

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5.6 Steeple Dingle at the edge of Ireland

moments found throughout the interior from the moment you enter the building. It both challenges and excites a sense of wonder and confronts our preconceptions about dwelling places amidst of our modern times. Previously as a religious space, it housed numerous spiritual events. The stone and plaster walls most likely store those memories. Both awe and serene emotions are elicited when visiting this place. While undertaking the renovation project, the owners thought the Steeple would be an unbelievable place in which to have their wedding. It’s a really calm and lovely place to be. We thought, wouldn’t it be perfect if we could have the ceremony out in our own place? 10 CASE STUDY: THIN PLACE WALLED-IN GARDEN Attached to a single-family dwelling within the community of Serenbe located southwest of Atlanta, Georgia is a walled-in garden designed by the author, Phillip Tabb. The inside walls measure 24 feet (7.3 meters) by 24 feet. The square garden is oriented along the ordinal or intercardinal axis, which parallels the direction of the slope of the land. The garden is bounded by walls that slope down from 14 feet (4.3 meters) to 4.5 feet (1.4 meters) at the end wall. This gives the garden protection from wildlife and weather elements and gives a well-defined refuge and sense place. In the center of the garden is a 7 (2.1 meters) foot square pool which acts as a focal point for the garden. The pool is constructed with concrete and field stone walls and has two small waterfall jets giving it gentle natural sounds. Two sliding gates on both sides of the garden when opened provide soothing sounds from the wind chimes and cooling by the gentle breezes during warm summer weather. The garden functions as a means of connecting to nature and as a foodscape. In the garden are two Peach trees, herbs (Rosemary, Parsley, Thyme, Basil and Mint), flowering plants (Roses, Hydrangea, Purple Majesty Sage, Whirling Butterfly Gaum, Blue Vervain Wildflowers and Iris Verna) and various ground covers.11 Two diagonally woven trellises provide visual interest and a backdrop for raspberries, tomato plants and climbing vines. The garden is visited by bumblebees, butterflies, dragonflies, fireflies, hummingbirds, Cardinals, Wrens, frogs, Eastern Box turtle, Red-tailed hawks, owls, a chipmunk and the occasional Eastern Kingsnake. The thin place analysis of the archetypal principles and ectypal patterns for the walled-in garden were based on the Likert scale. Each of the 20 patterns was assigned the numerical value of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) assessing both the presence (quantitative) and the quality of expression (qualitative) separately. The Unity, Corporeal and Regenerative Principles scored the highest and the pattern presence (4.30) scored 159  ◻

◼ EVERYDAY lower than pattern quality of expression (4.40). This is likely due to the qualitative and living nature of the garden. Among the highest scoring ectypal patterns were centering, bounding, nature within, views, scale, living color and active participation. It is not surprising that for a healing garden that the Unity and Regenerative Principles as well as the quality of experience was slightly higher than the presence of the pattern attributes. The walled-in garden represented a fairly intimate, well defined and protected space. The thin place experiences have occurred along the serene, rather than the vast, scale of emotional responses. Refer to Figures 5.7–5.9. 1. Passage and threshold – the primary passage into the garden is from the house, secondary outdoor entries are on sides of the garden, 2. Center and centering – there is a strong sense of center with the dynamically positioned pond, 3. Extending outward and connecting – there is a strong connection between the house and garden and with the garden and its surrounding forest and sky, 4. Differentiated bounding – there are walls completely surrounding the garden with a very tall northeast wall, equal walls on the northwest and southeast and a low wall to the southwest, and they give a strong sense of containment, 5. Symbolic or historic content – the corners of the pond have bronze feng shui animal figures symbolizing the Cardinal directions, 6. Nature within – nature is everywhere in the garden with plant, animal and celestial presences the place also served as a kitchen garden, 7. Celestial presence and awareness – there is a south and southwest solar window or opening to the sky above and beyond, 8. Discriminating views – views are directed to natural areas both in the garden and surrounding it, especially to the southwest. Views to the street and to the house next door are obstructed, 9. Geometric order within – the garden geometry is based on the square and rotated square. There is an omega-shaped stone path surrounding the pond, 10. Going down and groundedness – the garden surface of stone, mulch, plants and dirt creates a haptic connection to the earth, 11. Reaching upward and verticality – the two Peach trees within the garden, the tall windows within the house overlooking the garden, and the tall pine trees give a sense of verticality, 12. Spatial quality – the strong sense of place, intimate scale and living vitality of the garden plants give a strong spatial quality, 13. Finding direction and orientation – the house is oriented downhill along the contours and to the woods to the south and west. The garden is oriented along ordinal directions to the southwest for abundant sunlight, 14. Scalar context – the garden is well contained, small in size and with garden bench, deck and stone path give it an intimate sense of scale. The visiting insects and animals also give a focus, 15. Place function – the purpose of the garden is providing beauty and nourishment, for stewardship and connections to the earth, functioning as a foodscape, and celebrating the changes of the seasons,

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5.7 Walled-in garden: (a) garden in early spring, (b) garden bench

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5.8 Walled-in garden plan and thin place characteristics

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5.9 Walled-in garden: (a) garden at dusk, (b) center pool

16. Physical materiality – all houses in the neighborhood are mandated to be white so the built form is made of lapped siding and glass while the garden is made of all natural materials, 17. Presence and awareness of the elements – fire (in the form of an aluminum barbecue), earth (the garden itself) and water (with the central pond), air (with the large side sliding gates and wind chimes), and ether with the incredible connection to nature, 163  ◻

◼ EVERYDAY 18. Living color – green from the plants, the blue skies, and trees are punctuated with vibrant and broad range of colors of the flowers. The garden is visited by colorful birds and insects, 19. Light and luminosity – light is present throughout the day and very subtle lights are placed behind the trellis and in the pond and 20. Ceremonial participation – the garden elicits interaction on two levels, one through sheer observation of its beauty, and two with the care and stewardship. The site plan in Figure 5.8 clearly shows the ectypal patterns that are contributing to a thin place experience. Among the most obvious are patterns for centering, bounding, nature within, views, scale, the elements and living color. The presence and quality of the strong walls defining the garden perimeter and the focused pond in the center of the garden contribute to the strong unity experience. The presence of all the plants and trees within and surrounding the garden contribute to the Regenerative Principle (Table 5.2). PRINCIPLE (Archetypal)

PATTERN (Ectypal)

PRESENCE (Quantitative)

EXPRESSION (Qualitative)

1

Passage

4

4

UNITY

2

Centering

5

5

PRINCIPLE

3

Connecting

4

5

4

Bounding

5

5

18

19

5

Symbolic

3

3

GENERATIVE

6

Nature Within

5

5

PRINCIPLE

7

Celestial

2

3

8

Views

Average

Average

5

5

15

16

9

Geometric Order

4

4

FORMATIVE

10

Going Down

3

3

PRINCIPLE

11

Reaching Upward

4

4

12

Spatial Quality

Average

4

4

15

15

13

Orientation

5

4

CORPOREAL

14

Function

4

5

PRINCIPLE

15

Scale

5

5

16

Materiality

5

5

19

19

17

Elemental

5

5

18

Living Color

5

5

19

Luminosity

4

4

20

Ceremonial

5

5

Average REGENERATIVE PRINCIPLE Average TOTAL

19

19

4.30

4.40

Table 5.2 Walled-In Garden Pattern Analysis

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Summary Gardens in general are sources of nourishment and when walled-in, they seem to contain and focus of the thin place characteristics. The garden is consolidated into an ecosystem of thin place patterns. Gardens are full of life and vitality, and they intensify the biophilic effect. The patterns that most contribute to the numinous experience are centering, bounding, nature within, its intimate scale, the terrestrial elements, living color and stewardship and participation. Sitting inside in the morning and viewing the garden, through the change from night to dawn throughout the seasons, brings peacefulness, joy and optimism to the day. The quiet surrounds with the soft sounds of water falling in the pond brings a sense of calm and serenity. Interacting with the garden seems to slow things down, unplug and activate all the senses. Working the garden has health and wellness benefits as well, including protecting the immune system, promoting exercise, reducing stress and increases self-esteem. There can be spiritual connections such as those reported to have occurred in the Findhorn Garden in northern Scotland. The Walled-in Garden, as a thin place, is a small-scale and domestic example of heaven on earth. Sitting in the garden after a moment begins to reveal the wonders of nature on a small scale. The soothing sound of the water in the pool, the chirping of neighboring birds, the flighting hummingbirds, dragonflies and butterflies, movement of the resident chipmunk and the vibrance of the living color contribute to a sense of presence and nearness to nature. It is as though after waiting a few minutes, the garden seems to awaken and nature seems to reveal itself. Gardening or stewardship of the garden is about as close to the biophilic effect as one can experience and it truly becomes a thin place. The patterns that seem most exaggerated are bounding, nature within and living color. Soil is the very substance of this planet, refined through eons of time, the seedbed of life at the disposal of all and every life.12 CASE STUDY: HOLY WELLS Wells are simply holes in the ground that can be used to obtain a water supply. The oldest recorded well is in Cyprus and dates back to between 7,000 and 9,500 BCE.13 Because water is so essential for our survival, it is little wonder that they became sources of sustenance, healing and spiritual renewal. While the world around us is constantly changing, the well is a universal symbol of stability, deep emotions and nourishment. Wells are unchanging and are life-giving homes of spirits and sources of wisdom, renewal, prophesy and healing.14 Wells are both naturally formed and human-made. Looking down into a well and to the water below is mysterious, seeing the unknown and the underworld. Holy wells were related to the power of place and found throughout the ancient world. They are symbols of community in that the usable water is universal for life. A Holy well is thought to contain a numinous presence of its guardian or some holy spirit. Holy wells are found throughout the world on six of the seven cotenants and are considered by Wallace Nichols as “blue mind,” or by Dan Buettner as “blue zones.” Holy wells in different forms occur in such a wide variety of cultures, religious environments and historical periods. In India is the Chand Baori Stepped Well

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◼ EVERYDAY (one of the largest) and the Rani ki Vav (the Queen’s Step Well) which is one of the most awe-inspiring step well and a UNESCO World Heritage site. In Japan is the Some-i at Nashinoki Shrine, which is beside the Imperial Palace and is the only active well among Kyoto’s Three Famed Waters. In Australia are the Aboriginal Rock Wells, including the four Gully Rock Wells outside of Maryborough. And according to Liam Brady, Aboriginal freshwater sources occurred in a range of contexts including subsistence, religious, kin-based relationships, trade and exchange.15 Along the coastal region of Peru are the ancient Nazca Spiral Holes. The Orel region of central Russia is home to almost 200 holy springs. And in Israel is the Abraham’s Well that is a historical water well in Beersheba.  The Republic of Ireland is home to more than 2,996 holy wells and are a source of great attraction. Rituals have been dated from pre-Christian times.16 These holy well sites were commonly formed by three physical elements: (1) an underground water source, (2) an ancient tree and (3) a standing stone. They typically were surrounded by stone walls and steps going down to the water. Many of Ireland’s holy wells have originating stories that prove sacred sites of an older religion retained their sacredness but were conveniently converted to a newer faiths. Springs and wells were thought to originate from the “Otherworld” and were celebrated on Celtic dates that acted as thin places. They were sites where people venerated deities, sought elements of nature and the supernatural. Among the many wells is Saint Patrick’s Holy Well. St Patrick’s Well has been a place of worship for thousands of years and it can trace its origins back to pre-Christian times. St. Augustine Holy Well on the shores of Lough Atalia in Galway is a tidal well that has been known by locals to have healing power in the past, in particular, for those with eye problems. In 2000, the Trust’s Community Employment scheme completed a major renovation of the location which involved improving access to the well. St. Finbarr’s Well in Gougane Barra on the border of Kerry and the River Lee is another of these holy places that is considered one of the most potent holy wells in all of Cork and is known for its healing qualities. Hot springs and natural geothermal springs occur worldwide including the springs and pools pictured in Figure 5.10. Hot springs are known to possess remarkable healing powers. The Pagosa Hot Springs is located in the San Juan Basin in southern Colorado and is considered one of the deepest geothermal springs. Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming is home to many hot springs and geysers, including Old Faithful, Midway Geyser and Grand Prismatic Spring. Other hot springs found throughout the world include the 17-tiered pools of Pamukkale, Turkey, Khir Ganga, Himachal Pradesh, India, Deception Island, Antarctica, Uunartoq Island, Greenland. Glastonbury Tor in Summerset, England is a hill with the Chalice Well near its summit, with its small stone surround and movable wood and iron opening, Figure 5.11a. Down slope from the Well are gardens and pools formed by Vesica Pisces geometry (two overlapping circles), Figure 5.11b. The bisecting line in the center of the almond-shape is said to represent Excalibur, the sword of the legendary King Arthur. In addition, it is suggested that the Chalice Well was visited by Joseph of Arimathea where he placed the Holy Grail. Archeological evidence suggests that the Well has been in constant use for more than two thousand years.

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5.10 Natural springs: (a) Beryl Springs, Wyoming, (b) Pamukkale Pools, Turkey

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5.11 Holy wells: (a) the Chalice well, (b) Vesica Pisces Pools Glastonbury Tor, England

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While living in England, I visited Glastonbury several times and each time felt something magical about the place. The well water is reputed to have healing properties. This was part due to its mystical and religious history and its beauty, but it was more the energy of the place, replete with its ley-lines, mysteries about King Author and Joseph Arimathea and the Holy Grail. In 2000, while I was visiting sacred sites, I spent the night there which was even more magical. It was incredibly peaceful and dreaming was intensified. I left with energy and full of ideas. The 20 ectypal place patterns for Glastonbury Tor follow: 1. Passage and threshold – the view of the Tor, the experience of the Vesica Pools, and the path through the woods is a pleasant and anticipating passage sequence, 2. Center and centering – arriving at the site, the well and seeing the Vesica Pisces cover, the 16-gridded cover, and relatively small yet deep well triggers a strong sense of centering, 3. Extending outward and connecting – the connection of the Tor to the heavens and the well to the earth is strong, 4. Differentiated bounding – the woods surrounding the area and the low stone retaining walls give an intimate sense of bounding, 5. Symbolic or historic content – the myths of Joseph of Arimathea and the Holy Grail as well as the Legions of King Author and the city of Avalon are contained within the site, 6. Nature within – the gardens and plant life surrounding the pools, the path to the well and the well-water are a strong connections to nature, 7. Celestial presence and awareness – the sun is more prominent with the Vesica Pools while the well is relatively secluded adding to its soulful quality, 8. Discriminating views – views are not vast, but rather are of the nearby surrounding nature and focused on the water features and well, 9. Geometric order within – the Vesica Pisces geometry of the pools and the circular well and gridded well cover, 10. Going down and groundedness – the Tor itself as rock, retaining walls around the Vesica Pools and Chalice Well, the stonework, the flow of downward water is grounding, and there is the sense of connecting to the underworld, 11. Reaching upward and levity – Glastonbury Tor is the hill in which rises 518 feet high and visible for miles around it, 12. Spatial quality – the Chalice Well is essentially a landscape element, is small in scale, and therefore its spatial quality is intimate and oriented downward, 13. Finding direction and orientation – the orientation is strongly influenced by the position of the Tor, topography of the site, and the depth of the well, 14. Place function – originally was likely a prehistoric sacred site, later a fortified monastic enclosure, a Christian church, and now functions as a site under the National Trust, 15. Scale – the scale is not vast, but is intimate as the path and wellsite are situated in a rather small landscapes, 16. Physical materiality – the site is full of natural elements and prominent surfaces are the retaining walls and path pavers which are stone,

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◼ EVERYDAY 17. Presence and awareness of the elements – fire (in the form of sunlight), earth (the flora and fauna) and water (well and pools) while air and ether are more subtly present, 18. Living color – there are natural earth colors – green plants, stone pavers and the reddish color of the water in the lower ponds, 19. Light and luminosity – the changing quality of natural light with flickering light shadows cast by the throughout the day and 20. Ceremonial participation – the well has a participatory history and often served as a community focus, sacred ceremonies and healing function. Summary Because of the hydrologic cycle, water is constantly moving and transforming. The hydrologic cycle begins with evaporation of salt water from the oceans condensing into clouds, transported by wind to land where it becomes precipitation (rain, sleet, snow and hail), and upon contact with the land is converted to surface and groundwater. And it is from the groundwater that well-water derives. In addition to holy wells are natural springs, spas and healing retreats found throughout the world that also function as thin places. Wells tend to be small, grounded places and therefore are usually quiet and serene. They elicit numinous experiences because of their mysterious underworld nature, emotional energy and healing qualities. In the past a Holy well was a community center for not only the necessary access to fresh water, but also was ascribed certain rituals, guardian spirits, saints and votive offerings. While well water is mysterious, it is transforming, lifegiving, refreshing, pure and constantly in motion. It is essential and the essence of the natural world.17 Glastonbury Chalice Well is considered one of the most spiritual places in England and is one of the oldest religious sites in the country. The average values were for pattern presence (4.35) and pattern quality of expression (4.40). It is not surprising to see that the Formative and Regenerative were the highest principles, and that the ectypal patterns receiving the highest numbers were centering, bounding, going down, materiality, the elements and ceremonial participation. Today Holy wells do not serve the same critical function of providing community water but do still serve the purpose of pilgrimages and spiritual renewal and in this sense remain thin places. Refer to Table 5.3 for the analysis of Glastonbury Well. The patterns that seem most exaggerated are geometric order, grounding and elemental qualities. If considering the Tor, then reaching upward is strong. Today, however, wells do not serve a necessary function unless in remote areas where public utilities are not available. They are not in everyday use anymore. Most tap water comes through public utilities from treatment plants captured by surface and groundwater. Water is then transported underground throughout cities and towns in water mains, which are invisible. Seas, lakes, reservoirs, rivers, streams and tributaries have become polluted to further exacerbate our contact with water. Therefore, access and experience of this critical resource has lost its holy quality. However, it is important to preserve historic wells and fountains in

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PRINCIPLE (Archetypal)

PATTERN (Ectypal)

PRESENCE (Quantitative)

EXPRESSION (Qualitative)

 

1

Passage

4

4

UNITY

2

Center & Centering

5

5

PRINCIPLE

3

Connecting

4

5

 

4

Bounding

5

5

Average

 

 

18

19

 

5

Symbolic

5

5

GENERATIVE

6

Nature Within

5

5

PRINCIPLE

7

Celestial

2

2

 

8

Views

3

3

Average

 

 

15

15

 

9

Geometric Order

5

5

FORMATIVE

10

Going Down

5

5

PRINCIPLE

11

Reaching Upward

4

4

 

12

Spatial Quality

4

4

Average

 

 

18

18

 

13

Orientation

4

4

CORPOREAL

14

Function

5

5

PRINCIPLE

15

Scale

4

4

 

16

Materiality

5

5

Average

 

 

18

18

 

17

Elemental

5

5

REGENERATIVE

18

Living Color

4

4

PRINCIPLE

19

Luminosity

4

4

 

20

Ceremonial

5

5

Average TOTAL

   

 

18

18

 

4.35

4.40

Table 5.3 Glastonbury Well Patterns

order to provide this sacred connection. The descriptions of holy wells in general and this particular case study are intended to renew interest in wells and the thin place experiences that can result from experiencing them. The well from which water is drawn conveys the further idea of an inexhaustible dispensing of nourishment.18 CASE STUDY: LAND ART AND LABYRINTHS Land art, earth art or environmental art is an art movement that combines artistic expressions located outside of museums and galleries in landscape environments. The movement often combines the disciplines of sculpture, performance

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◼ EVERYDAY art, architecture and landscape architecture. Purpose-built landscapes have since ancient times been a source of thin places throughout the world, often constructed for aesthetic, calendrical and spiritual functions. Early earthworks included sun Worship Altar in China, the Great Wall of Benin in West Africa, Newgrange Passage Tomb in Ireland, Glastonbury Tor in England and the Serpent Mound in Ohio to name a few. Among the more contemporary works were by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Art Farm, Andy Goldsworthy, Nancy Holt, Cornelia Konrads, Mary Miss, James Turrell, Robert Smithson, Michael Heizer and the annual Burning Man events in Nevada. Labyrinths are meandering paths designed to center and open one’s body to a spiritual experience. Mazes challenge one’s ability to find a way of passing and eventually escaping. A maze refers to a complex branching with choices of path and direction, while a labyrinth has only a single path that leads to the center. Land art and labyrinths share common thin place characteristics, mainly passage, centering, bounding, geometric order and ceremonial participation. Land Art Land art is made directly in the landscape by sculpting the land itself or by making structures in the landscape often with natural materials. Ancient Earthwork and geoglyth installations were used for spiritual, cosmological and place-marking purposes, such as seen in Figure 5.12a of the 2000-year-old Serpent Mound in Ohio. Contemporary works emerged after the 1960s in the midst of the environmental movement mainly in the United States and Great Britain. Such works also included post-Minimalist tendencies, installation art and performance art. Materials used in earthworks and land artworks are most often the materials of the Earth, including the soil, rocks, vegetation, wood and water found on-site. In ancient times the purpose of earthworks was to connect to celestial phenomena for calendrical, ceremonial and mythic storytelling reasons, while in contemporary works the purpose of and art was to bring participants into nature and to provide new and thought-provoking perspectives and sensibility toward the environment encouraging pro-environmental behaviors. Burning Man in Black Rock Desert, Nevada is a contemporary example of a thin place that occurs as an annual week-long event, Figure 5.12b. In an effort to send a welcoming message to visitors and residents of Serenbe Community southwest of Atlanta, that black lives matter, a competition was initiated in 2021 to create a land art installation near the entrance of the community. The design intent of the artist Curtiss Patterson was to create a design that was an invitational destination serving as a nexus for the community embodying an afro-centrically influenced as well as yield a harmonious relationship with the surrounding natural environment. The installation was an admixture of varying historic elements. According to the artist, the key figurative element of the installation is influenced by Shango, a deity of the Yoruba people of Nigeria. The silhouette of the intersecting mask is called Nimba indigenous to the Baga people of Guinea in West Africa. And overarching Nimba’s head is an Asante stool indigenous to Ghana.19 Seating was provided as part of the installation reflecting the Asante stool and intended to peaceful contemplation and reflection of

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5.12 Land art: (a) the Serpent Mound, Adams County, Ohio, (b) Burning Man, Nevada

the space. Refer to Figure 5.13 with a young girl being embraced by a stool the installation creating a sense of place. Forest bathing is common in the woodlands in Serenbe and facilitated with miles of trails among which connect to the Shango forest landart installation. The forest bathing is a mindful practice, an emersion that precedes the experience of Shango, and is a serene passage pattern. This installation is a wonderful expression of a thin place. When sitting on one of the Asante stools and looking upward, the trees seem to bend forming a domed ceiling and circular oculus directly above the installation. Most of the ectypal place patterns are activated. It is as though Shango and the site are forming a cathedral-like space in which the negative space is that which dwells beyond the veil of the thin place. The patterns showing the greatest presence include centering, connecting, bounding, symbolic, nature within, geometry, reaching upward, orientation, function, luminosity and ceremonial participation which all received a (5). Refer to the site plan analysis, Figure 5.14. 1. Passage and threshold – driving by especially at night and seeing Shango glow, and the path leading through the woods is a pleasant and anticipating passage sequence to the installation,

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5.13 Land art in Serenbe, Georgia: (a) Serenity for Shango, (b) Asante Stool

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5.14 Serenity for Shango Plan analysis

2. Center and centering – arriving at the installation and seeing the central sculpture, and the circling Asante stools triggers a strong sense of centering, 3. Extending outward and connecting – the connection of the entire work reaches outward into the surrounding nature and symbolically to community at large, 4. Differentiated bounding – the woods surrounding the area and the low Asante stools give an intimate sense of bounding,

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◼ EVERYDAY 5. Symbolic or historic content – the myths Shango as well as the other elements of the sculpture capture the imagination and pay homage to linage of African American culture, 6. Nature within – location within the woods, the ground itself and the transparency of the sculpture are a strong inclusion of nature, 7. Celestial presence and awareness – the sun and night sky are mostly obscured because of the density of the woods and therefore a celestial presence is fairly weak, 8. Discriminating views – initially views are directed to the installation both day and night and upon entering the offer glimpses of the circling Asante stools, Shango sculpture and surrounding nature, 9. Geometric order within – the geometry of the Asante stools and sculpture base are circular while the sculpture itself is a complex composition in space and form, 10. Going down and groundedness – the low Asante stools give a sense of connected to the ground and the perceived heaviness of the sculpture also gives a sense of grounding, 11. Reaching upward and levity – the Shango sculpture has a vertical aspect (10′-0″ tall), and the topmost element is drawn from the Middle Buster Plow reaching upward to the trees and natural oculus, 12. Spatial quality – the space formed by the tree canopy, surrounding stools and the sculpture in the center, all contribute to making it like an outdoor cathedral, 13. Finding direction and orientation – the orientation is strongly influenced by the position within the community and its specific site, 14. Place function – originally the site was intended to simply be a natural entrance setting to the community, but later is being transformed into a sculpture park sending a message about the arts, 15. Scale – the overall installation is intimate, only about 15′-0″ in diameter, and surrounded by a canopy of trees, 16. Physical materiality – the ground is natural forest floor, and the sculpture surfaces are stainless steel, 17. Presence and awareness of the elements – the elemental material qualities are quit contrasting from the sense of the ground (earth), the surrounding forest (wood), the installation (metal) and light, 18. Living color – there are natural colors or earth and the ground, and the silver color of stainless steel, 19. Light and luminosity – the changing quality of light throughout the day and the luminous artificial night light give it a mysterious quality and 20. Ceremonial participation – the installation serves as a welcoming community focus, a place for meditation, ceremonies and healing functions. Labyrinths Small-scale, personal and intimate thin places can occur with a variety of settings, including labyrinths and cathedral altars as pictured in Figure 5.16. Other similar

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thin places include alcoves, niches, bonfires, living room mantles, small shrines, gardens and family memorials. For the examples included in this section, the following is a pattern comparison between the labyrinth and a land art installation. Both can be highly interactive as walking a labyrinth is a passage and meditation, while participating in an event like Burning Man is exhilarating and transformative. The thin place experience is the process of participating, deepening, reducing temporal density and letting go. Labyrinths have long been used on coins, pottery, etchings, buildings and in landscapes in Egypt and Greece. In Greek mythology, they were used to entrap the Minotaur. A maze refers to complex branching choices of path and direction like a puzzle, while a labyrinth has a single, continuous or unicursal path to the center. At Chartres Cathedral the 11-circuit labyrinth is encountered at the west entry at the end of a pilgrimage journey to the Cathedral. It served as a “passage experience” upon entering the sacred space and the viewing of the tunic of the Virgin Mary. Today the labyrinth and maze have been revived and used for reflection, meditation, transformation, as well as alleviation of stress-related issues. According to Janet Kahl, labyrinths are increasingly being used as a tool in dealing with illness, depression and anxiety. 20 Another study by Daniele Lizier et al., found the meditative characteristics of a labyrinth walk included muscle relaxation at sometime within the process, ability to self-focus, invoked changes in perception, and created a logic realization of nonjudgment. Walking a labyrinth is about the journey and change in consciousness. It can slow one down, thereby reducing stress.21 The study concluded that labyrinth walking was a physical, emotional and sensory experience. 22 Labyrinths possess many of the thin place pattern attributes, including passage and procession, center and centering, bounding, grounding, geometric order, direction and orientation, materiality and the ceremonial participation which are the more overtly expressed patterns. The labyrinths at the University of Toronto and Serenbe Community, Georgia illustrate the meditative geometric journey to the center and back, Figure 5.15a and b. Comparison of the land art (4.35) and labyrinth (4.15) are shown to be similar (Table 5.4). The labyrinth’s lower total is due to the lower scores for the Generative and Formative Principles. The Serenbe labyrinth has become a favorite destination for both residents and visitors to the community. Refer to Figure 5.15b for an aerial view of the labyrinth. It was built over a weekend in July of 2003 by family and friends of the developer. The Serenbe labyrinth is an 88-foot diameter replica of the one in the west nave or Royal Portal of the 12th century Chartres Cathedral in France. However, it is twice the size and is sited outdoors within a forested area overlooking a picturesque pond. Walking at a deliberate pace, it takes 15 minutes to navigate to the center of the labyrinth. For most, it is a calming and contemplative experience. The patterns that are most present are passage, centering, bounding, geometric order, orientation, function and ceremonial participation. It is not surprising that the Unity Principle scored the highest because of the purpose and form of the labyrinth.

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5.15 Labyrinths: (a) walking the labyrinth in Toronto, Canada, (b) Serenbe labyrinth

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PRINCIPLE (Archetypal)

PATTERN (Ectypal)

LAND ART (Presence)

LABYRINTH (Presence)

 

1

Passage

4

5

UNITY

2

Center & Centering

5

5

PRINCIPLE

3

Connecting

5

4

 

4

Bounding

5

5

Average

 

 

19

19

 

5

Symbolic

5

4

GENERATIVE

6

Nature Within

4

4

PRINCIPLE

7

Celestial

4

3

 

8

Views

4

4

Average

 

 

17

15

 

9

Geometric Order

5

5

FORMATIVE

10

Going Down

4

3

PRINCIPLE

11

Reaching Upward

4

3

 

12

Spatial Quality

5

3

Average

 

 

18

14

 

13

Orientation

4

5

CORPOREAL

14

Function

5

5

PRINCIPLE

15

Scale

4

4

 

16

Materiality

4

4

Average

 

 

17

18

 

17

Elemental

4

4

REGENERATIVE

18

Living Color

3

4

PRINCIPLE

19

Luminosity

4

4

 

20

Ceremonial

5

5

 

 

16

17

 

4.35

4.15

Average TOTAL

 

Table 5.4 Serenbe Patterns’ Analysis

CASE STUDY: INTIMATE SCALE THIN PLACES All chairs are not thin places, as they normally function to accommodate seating for a myriad of purposes – to rest, to eat, to drink, to work, to watch, to pray, to wait and even to drive. However, in some instances, they can serve to create thin place experiences. In becoming a thin place, they possess ectypal patterns supporting experiences on either ends of the emotional clusters depending upon the situation. For example, sitting in the Twilight Epiphany Skyspace could be exhilarating and stimulating while sitting in a walled-in garden could be serene and peaceful. The window seat, such as in Figure 5.1a and park bench in Figure 5.1b with women either reading or resting quietly suggests the serene emotions. The comfortable seat and back help form a boundary, while a book can the focus or center. The seat is full of light while the pillows and fabric provide a material place. The image of a

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◼ EVERYDAY picnic lunch, Figure 5.2b is in a courtyard where the entire focus is on the quiet connection, and the food and wine between them. In both examples, the surrounding environment is less important except for the fact that they are empty of distractions. The geometry tends to be circumferential or circular in nature, and the scale is certainly intimate. Views are inward. Referring to the characteristics of charged places previously discussed, a thin place environment can be extremely personal and move from deep within, often accompanied by visceral feelings, goosebumps, breathtaking and chills. Elicits feelings, that are intensely real, involving all the senses. They can create an ancient stirring within, can reduce a sense of self, and can appear to have an “Otherly” presence. There is a resonance between person and place or person and person, where time seems to slow down and stand still, and the experience seems have a charge or soulful energy. These experiences can also occur within as small a scale as within a chair. Home altars usually are adorned with pairs of votive candles and sometimes a small vase of flowers. Family altars are also used to celebrate family members, religious holidays and to promote the development or intensification of personal piety and spiritual conduct. Small scale thin place experiences can be initiated by many elicitors, and they can produce both awe and serene emotions. Something as little as lighting a candle can be mesmeric and transformative especially for young children. Candles have been used for a variety of reasons from the practical, religious and ceremonial purposes to the decorative and romantic scene setting. In the context of thin places, candles provide a supportive eliciting role in creating a quiescent and meditative atmosphere through flickering light, aroma and color. For many who garden and touch the earth the experience is transformative leading to patience, attentiveness, diligence, discipline, mindfulness, caring, wonder and joy. Further gardening connects to natural rhythms, reduces temporal density, slows time down and activates all the senses. Refer to Figure 5.16a showing the magic of a child making a wish and blowing out birthday candles. It is as though the lowering of the ambient light, being surrounded by family and friends, the circularity of the cake, the mesmerizing flickering candles and the desire to make a wish all contribute to a thin place experience. Immersive dining can occur in unparalleled culinary restaurants as well as with simple outdoor settings. Taking an evening walk in the moonlight can also elicit numinous experiences, Figure 5.16b. As in the saying, “you are what you eat,” can extend to “you are where you eat.” The combination of healthy food, serene atmosphere, fresh air and the company of another can contribute to an awe immersive dining experience. The ectypal patterns for the candles average present (4.05), and for the moonlight walk is (4.15). These numbers are a little lower than other case studies partly due to the fact that several of the patterns are less impactful at this smaller scale, including passage, celestial, nature within and reaching upward. It is not surprising that these particular patterns were active due to their more human scale, purpose and close participation. Higher numbers are for the symbolic, scale, function, elemental, luminosity and participation patterns. The unity, corporeal and regenerative principles scored the highest. For the birthday candles, several patterns scored low because of their indoor setting, but this activity can occur outdoors. Birthdays are

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5.16 Small scale thin places: (a) child blowing out candles, (b) moonlight walk

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PRINCIPLE (Archetypal)

PATTERN (Ectypal)

CANDLES (Presence)

MOONWALK (Presence)

1

Passage

2

5

UNITY

2

Center & Centering

5

4

PRINCIPLE

3

Connecting

5

5

 

4

Bounding

5

4

Average

 

 

17

18

 

5

Symbolic

5

4

GENERATIVE

6

Nature Within

2

5

PRINCIPLE

7

Celestial

2

5

 

8

Views

4

5

Average

 

 

13

19

 

9

Geometric Order

4

3

FORMATIVE

10

Going Down

4

2

PRINCIPLE

11

Reaching Upward

2

5

 

12

Spatial Quality

3

4

Average

 

 

13

14

 

13

Orientation

4

4

CORPOREAL

14

Scale

5

5

PRINCIPLE

15

Function

5

4

 

16

Materiality

4

3

Average

 

 

18

16

 

 

17

Elemental

5

4

REGENERATIVE

18

Living Color

5

3

PRINCIPLE

19

Luminosity

5

5

 

20

Ceremonial

5

4

Average

 

 

20

16

 

4.05

4.15

TOTAL

 

Table 5.5 Small Patterns’ Analyses

quite symbolic and important especially to children. So, the centering focus, scale, function or purpose, the elemental quality of the candles and the active participation are highly present. For the moonlight walk, the patterns that scored highest were passage, connecting, nature, celestial, reaching upward, scale (depending upon the specific setting) and luminosity (Table 5.5). Everyday Thin Place Summary Everyday thin places manifest at varying scales and within different settings. Some are intentional and function-specific while others are discovered. For everyday access, thin places often occur following daily, weekly and yearly activities. Daily opportunities start with waking and early morning domestic activities. Steven Harris describes sites for everyday architecture begin with the body and are typically

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secretive and private marked by cyclical routines.23 Throughout the day, going outdoors, relaxing, gardening, or preparing a special meal can also be opportunities for awe experiences. Yearly cycles present opportunities for awe experiences with special events, anniversaries, birthdays and religious holidays. Although most experience extraordinary awe-absorption on rarer occasions, such as special vacations, concerts, religious ceremonies, weddings or special family gatherings, it is during daily routines that awe experiences can more frequently be accessible to emotional well-being. This can occur through “awe-spotting,”24 such activities as lingering, slowing down, appreciating one’s senses, unplugging, going on awe-walks, gardening, meditating, or the joy of a warm shower at the end of the day.25 Other everyday numinous experiences are excursions into nature, saunas, connecting to something vast as in physical size or space, age, or complexity of detail, and visiting an awe place [repository].26 These experiences were never more important than during the isolation and quarantining caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For everyday thin places, there is the potential for longer term benefits of serenity and awe-based transformations. The everyday architecture of awe is often set apart from spectacular, heroic, fashionable, beguiling geometric and over-consumptive architecture. Rather it relates more often to qualities of the quieter emotion cluster of the serene, content and peaceful. Darran Anderson explains, “given the passage of time, and architecture’s ability to reflect the culture around it, even the smallest of buildings can become a locus of memory.”27 The patterns for the smaller scale examples that seem most exaggerated are centering, bounding, function and scale. The ability to have everyday numinous experiences brings up two issues, that of scale and of accessibility. The more intimate the scale, the more relative it becomes to our human bodies.28 Serene emotions are more likely to occur because of the intimacy and calmness of these places, from the interior of the Steeple Dingle, walled-in garden, Chalice Well, Shango land art sculpture, labyrinth, chair and altar. And awe-spotting being available to see an awe or serene place and being able to take advantage of a moment of pause. This includes being aware within our daily routines, and the times and places where thin places are likely to occur. The 7 case studies previously discussed provided an opportunity to view a variety of thin places from the urban design scale of Siena, Italy down to a single space like the walled-in garden in Georgia. Generally, these case studies scored higher in the quality of expression over pattern presence. This may be in part due to the high design and build quality of the examples and their focus on transcendent purposes. And several of these examples were created by signature designers. The ectypal pattern averages typically scored from the low 4.05 to high 4.40. The unity and regenerative principles were also high while the generative principle was lowest. The generative patterns of nature and celestial were low because of programmatic considerations, locations and focus on other placemaking patterns. In all cases, the ceremonial participation scored highest which most likely reflects the desired experiential outcomes of the programmatic intentions. The chair, labyrinth and altar at the smallest scale shows the potential for thin place experiences. The following summary table shows the Likert Scale values for each of the ectypal patterns for the smaller scale thin places (Table 5.6). It is interesting to note that the patterns with the highest values are centering (33 and 14), bounding

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Table 5.6 Small Scale Pattern Summary

(32 and 15, connecting (31 and 14), place function (32 and 15), scale (33 and 13), materiality (31 and 15) and ceremonial participation (33 and 14), which are similar to the larger-scale case studies for architecture and urbanism found in the previous chapter. Centering and Ceremonial participation received the highest ratings of 33 and 14 of all the patterns. However, the patterns with the lowest values are quite different. They are celestial presence, nature within, going downward, spatial quality, views and color. The three case studies under small-scale patterns, included chair, labyrinth and altar and only had evaluations for pattern presence. The values were calculated by how often they occurred times the Likert Scale values. Three of the case studies were evaluated on presence only; therefore, there were no values for the quality for these three examples (green). The Summary of Small Scale Pattern Effectiveness lists in descending order the patterns that scored highest in the analysis and indicates the case studies that exemplified the pattern. SUMMARY OF SMALL SCALE PATTERN EFFECTIVENESS Patterns are listed in descending order of magnitude according to their Likert number totals for pattern presence: 1. Center and centering – most sites either have a distinct center or possess a focus allowing for a centering process. The center often possesses special energetic qualities as described by genius loci or spirit of place. The Walled-in

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Garden, Serenity for Shango, Labyrinth and birthday cake, are good examples of this pattern at this scale. The value of 33. 1. Ceremonial participation – participation, whether it is active or passive, is essential for the thin place experience. The Labyrinth and Serenity for Shango are good examples of this pattern. The value of 33. 2. Differentiated bounding – perception of the boundary defines the sense and scale of the place, it is identifiable and functions equally in natural, urban and functions by creating containment within, protection from without and porosity of natural and spiritual energies flowing through. The Steeple and Walled-in Garden are good examples of this pattern. The value of 32. 2. Place function – the place function, whether intentional or unintentional, directly activates participation. Glastonbury Well and the Candles are good examples of this pattern. The value of 32. 2. Scale – the vastness and intimacy of a thin place reinforce the awe and serene emotional responses, and it refers to the relationship and measure of the order of magnitude among natural and built elements of the environment to people. All the case studies in this section are good examples of this pattern. The value oof 32. 3. Extending outward and connecting – the outward extension and connects the participant to the source(s) of the experience and the nature of the thin place. Serenity for Shango and the Moonlight Walk are good examples of this pattern. The value of 31. 3. Physical materiality – the physical qualities and characteristics transforms from the tangible and more dense qualities of the physical place dissolving to the less dense ethereal. The Steeple is a good example of this pattern. The value of 31. 4. Symbolic or historic content – the symbolic connections nurture and integrate historic, cultural, geographic, ecological, and collective values, and spiritual sensitivities to nature and place. They represent a shared identity and a sense of belonging. Glastonbury Well and Serenity for Shango are good examples of this pattern. The value of 30. 4. Geometric order within – provide shape for the procession into a thin place, spatial structure of the thin place itself, functional relationships and proportional systems, patterns and ratios, as well as symbolic meanings. The Serenity for Shango and the Labyrinth are good examples of this pattern. The value of 30. 4. Finding direction and orientation – meaningful orientation or finding direction gives purpose and connections to the thin place, such as the cardinal directions, the natural contours or geology of a site, views and vistas of special features both near and far, solar movements like solstices and equinoxes, or to symbolic orientations. The Steeple and Labyrinth are good examples of this pattern. The value of 30. 4. Light and luminosity – fluid luminosity refers to the changing qualities of light, whether it is due to fluctuating conditions, source, color or physical design. Light is natural, dynamic and can be direct, filtered, diffused or reflected. The Steeple and Candles are good examples of this pattern. The value of 30.

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◼ EVERYDAY 5. Passage and threshold – the progression and passage to a thin place provides a physical, mental and emotional transition to a thin place. The Chalice Well, Labyrinth, and Land Art Installations are good examples of this pattern. The value of 29. 5. Discriminating views – large-scale vistas are inspiring and remind us of how vast the natural world really is or how extraordinary monumental architecture can be. Intimate and framed views are soothing and contribute to eliciting qualities of thin places and unwanted view are obscured. The Walled-in Garden is good example of this pattern. The value of 29. 5. Reaching upward and verticality – is the path from below to that which is above, and this path transitions to the less dense and ethereal. It is the connection between the Earth (the human, tangible and substantial) and Heaven (the Godly, celestial and intangible). The Steeple and Serenity for Shango are good examples of this pattern. The value of 29. 5. Presence and awareness of the elements – the terrestrial or classical elements are patterns of transformation where fire warms the body, Earth feels good to the touch and gives protection and stability, fresh air stimulates positive thoughts and refreshes our breathing, water churns the emotions and replenishes most internal bodily functions, and ether moves the spirit and the sense of wonder. Glastonbury Well and the Walled-in Garden are good examples of this pattern. The value of 29. 6. Spatial quality – the sense of space, whether expansive or intimate, is a powerful elicitor of the emotional experiences. The Moonwalk and Walled-in Garden are good examples of this pattern. The value of 28. 6. Nature within – nature within includes the plant and animal kingdoms that provide the taming quality of the wild, disordered and chaotic brought into safe and natural surroundings. Nature within is typically more difficult to achieve with interior-oriented places. The Walled-in Garden and Glastonbury Well are good examples of this pattern. The value of 28. 6. Living color – living color invokes a transcendent dimension with regenerative powers and expresses a visible and vital element of life. The Walled-in Garden is a good example of this pattern. The value of 28. 7. Going down and groundedness – the connections to the Earth and responses to gravity provide grounding to place. It signifies tangibility, safety, protection and stability providing substantive protection for thin place experiences. Glastonbury Well and Walled-in Garden are good examples of this pattern. The value of 27. 8. Celestial presence and awareness – celestial connections are difficult to achieve in indoor places unless intentionally designed with special windows or oculi., The Moonlight Walk is a good examples of this pattern. The value of 21. Extraordinary urban spaces, architecture and landscapes are important especially as examples of well-designed works in which many can experience. The everyday architecture of awe is often set apart from spectacular, heroic, fashionable, beguilingly geometric and over-consumptive architecture. The need for adrenalindriven experiences like climbing Mount Everest, sleeping on a portaledge on El

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Capital in Yosemite National Park, or hanging out at the Grand Canyon Skywalk are intoxicating, and not necessarily the only way for a numinous experience to occur. Similarly, this is true for exhilarating, extravagant “stararchitecture” found throughout the world. Rather, more often, the everyday qualities of the quieter emotion cluster of the serene, can produce profound experiences as well. Darran Anderson explains, “given the passage of time, and architecture’s ability to reflect the culture around it, even the smallest of buildings can become a locus of memory.”29 This holds true for thin place experiences as well. Access to thin places is important in maintaining repetitive thin place experiences. In examining the ectypal place patterns as exhibited by both the larger and everyday scales architecture, ectypal patterns may be identified and used as design guidelines for purpose built thin places. Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.30 NOTES 1. McLeod, Mary, Architecture of the Everyday by Steven Harris and Deborah Berke, Henri, Lefebvre’s Critique of Everyday Life: An Introduction (New York, NY: Princeton University Press, 1997), p. 13. 2. Moore, Thomas, The Re-Enchantment of Everyday Life (New York, NY: Harper and Collins Publishers, 1996). 3. Swanson, John L., Experiencing the Sacred in Nature (Accessed October 31, 2022) https:// www.ecopsychology.org/journal/ezine/archive2/sacred_nature.pdf 4. Christopher Day, Places of the Soul: Architecture and Environmental Design as Healing Art (Wellingborough, UK: Aquarian Press, 1990), pp. 106–123. 5. Brill, Michael, Sacred Places and Embraced Places: Using Design-as-Inquiry to Understand the Difference (Self-published, September 25, 1985). 6. Hester, Randolph T. and Amber D. Nelson, Inhabiting the Sacred in Everyday Life (Havertown, PA: George F. Thompson Jr. Publishing, 2019). 7. Swan, James A., Sacred Paces: How the Living Earth Seeks Our Friendship (Santa Fe, NM: Bear & Company Publishers, 1990). 8. Konrads, Cornelia, Passageways (Accessed August 2, 2022) https://www.cokonrads.de/ index.php/home/portfolio/site-specific-works/103-passage-text 9. The Steeple Dingle (Accessed August 2, 2022) https://www.thesteepledingle.com 10. MacMonagle, Don and Kelly McCallister, The Googlers who built their perfect house – from a church! (Accessed October 31, 2022) https://www.pressreader.com 11. Tabb, Phillip, Elemental Architecture: Temperaments of Sustainability (London, UK: Routledge, 2017). 12. Maclean, Dorothy, The Findhorn Garden: Pioneering a New Vision of Man and Nature in Cooperation (New York, NY: Harper & Row Publishers, 1975), p. 84. 13. Ray, Celeste (Editor), Sacred Waters: A Cross-Cultural Compendium of Hallowed Springs and Holy Wells (New York, NY: Routledge, 2020), pp. 350–351. 14. Ireland’s Holy Wells (Accessed July 21, 2022) https://www.ouririshheritage.org/content/ archive/place/miscellaneous-place/irelands-holy-wells 15. Brady, Liam B., Freshwater Sources and Their Relational Contexts in Indigenous Australia (New York, NY: Routledge, 2020), p. 97. 16. (Accessed July 28, 2022) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5Bl6vpFGny/?hl=en 17. Water Symbolism (Accessed August 8, 2022) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ doi/10.1002/047147844X.wh100

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◼ EVERYDAY 18. Wilhelm, Hellmut, The I Ching (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1967), p. 185. 19. Patterson, Curtiss, Serenity for Shango (Black Art Proposal, Serenbe Community), 2021. 20. Kahl, Janet, The Aesthetic Appeal of Labyrinths and Mazes (Accessed December 11, 2021) https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-Aesthetic-Appeal-of-Labyrinths-and-Mazes-Kahl/ 53299febbb7e16c4da80f9c4e0b479c38372c239 21. Leland, Karen, Labyrinths: Ancient Aid for Modern Stress (Accessed November 12, 2021) https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/labyrinths-for-modern-stresses 22. Lizier, Daniele, Reginaldo Silva-Filho, Juliane Umanda, Rpmualdo Melo and Afonso Carlos Neves, Effects of Reflective Labyrinth Walking Assessed Using a Questionnaire (Accessed December 11, 2021) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6313772/ 23. Harris, Stephen, Everyday Architecture, Architecture of the Everyday (New York, NY: Princeton University Press, 1997), p. 4. 24. Olsson, Regan, Awe-Spotting: 5 Ways Finding Awe Can Transform Your Life (Accessed November 17, 2021) https://www.bannerhealth.com/healthcareblog/teach-me/ awe-spotting-5-ways-finding-awe-can-transform-your-life 25. Pattabhiraman, Tkja, Six Ways to Incorporate Awe Into Your Daily Life (Accessed November 15, 2021) https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/ six_ways_to_incorporate_awe_into_your_daily_life 26. Tix, Andy, 7 Ways to Be Awe-Inspired in Everyday Life (Accessed November 15, 2020) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-pursuit-peace/201611/ 7-ways-be-awe-inspired-in-everyday-life 27. Anderson, Darran, Why Everyday Architecture Deserves Respect (Accessed November 17, 2021) https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-22/ why-little-works-of-architecture-deserve-respect 28. Schumacher, Ernst Friedrich, Small is Beautiful Economics as if People Mattered (New York, NY: Harper and Row Publishers, 1973), pp. 66–67. 29. Anderson, Darran, Why Everyday Architecture Deserves Respect (Accessed November 17, 2021) https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-22/ why-little-works-of-architecture-deserve-respect 30. Milton, John (Accessed September 4, 2022) https://www.livinglifefully.com/awe.htm

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6 CONCLUSION Concluding Thoughts

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS Understanding the function and anatomy of thin places can lead to the practice of a more informed spirited and soulful architecture. The principles of placemaking and the qualities of thin places can contribute to more significant expressions of both signature and extraordinary, as well as ordinary and everyday works of architecture and urban design. Edward T. Hall in his seminal book “The Hidden Dimension” addresses the sensual (visual, auditory, olfactory, haptic and tactile) qualities of our personal perceptions and relationships to space.1 Hall goes on to describe four proxemic classifications among people from intimate and personal to social and public. The distances among them exhibit different behaviors and in the context of this work, focus on numinous experiences that occur within thin places. Positive connections to place, spiritual renewal, facilitating double remembering, health and wellness, and the experience of awe are among the thin place outcomes. Important cultural, civic and faith-based building types will continue to seed thin place principles. However, domestic thin places never seemed more important than during sheltering-in-place and quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic when sanctuary healing and renewal were so needed. While many thin places exist in nature from National Parks to ocean beaches and it is important to preserve these precious places, new thin places can be designed and constructed whether they are intended to be part of the experience of extraordinary architecture or urban places or whether they are intended to occur within more domestic-scale everyday places. In order to help facilitate the design for numinous experiences in these places, it is important to understand the programmatic opportunities, site conditions and informing design elements that can help in facilitating the design. Since awe experiences are a function of vastness, certain design elements are likely to become exaggerated. And as serene experiences are more intimate inward focused, calm and peaceful, the patterns that support this quality are important to consider. The case studies presented in this work have been intended to show a variety of scales and contexts in which thin places have been built and to identify the design patterns that have contributed to their success. In reviewing the magnitude of ectypal patterns for the architectural and everyday scales, the top seven scoring patterns for each indicate strategies for thin place designs. There are many similarities between these two scales (architecture and urban design and small scale), yet there are only a few differences. For each

DOI: 10.4324/9781003354888-6

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◼ CONCLUSION of these two scales, the following listing gives the highest scoring patterns in descending order (several are tied): ARCHITECTURAL SCALE

EVERYDAY SCALE

Bounding

Centering

Centering

Ceremonial Participation

Ceremonial Participation

Bounding

Place Function

Place Function

Passage

Scale

Spatial Quality

Connecting

Materiality

Materiality

The highest scoring patterns are quite similar for both scales. For the architectural scale, the ways in which the thin places are framed (bounding), their focus (centering), the active participation within the experience, the purpose and function of the thin place, the passage, pause and transitional progression into the place, the ways in which it connects to the eliciting sources and beyond, and the spatial quality of the place all add to the numinous experiences. These are typically quite “architectural” in consideration. For the everyday scale, the ways of interacting with the place, especially in a more intimate way is the most important and following are the sensual material and focus through centering, bounding, place function, scale, function and participation. Further, connection to the place and its symbolic content and geometric order, such as the objects in an altar or the geometric path of a labyrinth, the human scale and the object of the encounter all contribute to the quality of the experience. Everyday patterns are more intimate, experience oriented and less formal. Other ectypal patterns are also very important, but these groupings define the ones with the greatest influence. In regard to the pattern for light (luminosity), is one of the most stimulating and inspiring patterns, yet it is eclipsed by more physical patterns somewhat in the larger more urban scales, such as Siena, and Civitella, the more protective and intimate settings like Rothko Chapel or the Steeples Dingle, or natural environments like Wadi Bani Oasis and the walled-in garden, or even during daytime. Transition spaces (passage) from the secular realm to the thin places were not among the highest scoring patterns but still remain important in decompressing and preparing one for a numinous experience. Thin place types like labyrinths and museums integrate the passage experience with the primary space and function. These patterns that are more present with higher quality of expression contributed to the numinous experiences and provide guidelines for the design of thin places at both scales. At the architectural and everyday scales, patterns for centering, bounding materiality and ceremonial participation are shared while going downward and reaching upward for architecture and scale and function for everyday thin places differ. Bounding is an important design determinant in that it gives definition, a sense of place and establishes the sphere of activity. It sets the scene for the thin place. And its edge condition helps set the relationship with the prime thin place elicitor. Boundary differentiation occurs with external conditions and the nature of the internal elicitors. And according to Michael Brill, boundaries must reveal their

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different meanings.2 For awe experiences, the boundary becomes vast and expansive, while for serene experiences it becomes intimate and protective. Boundaries, like the function of the veil, separate out the profane while holding the sanctity of the energy within the thin place experience. As previously discussed, and observed within the case studies, the boundary can be solid, permeable or even translucent. The solid walls with mark Rothko’s paintings within the Rothko Chapel in contrast to the translucent walls of the La Estancia Chapel in Mexico. Centering or finding the center is an important pattern as often it is the object of the experience. This can be the connection to the source or a physical attribute to the thin place, such as a view, source of light or an altar. Centering is both a personal process of attuning and evincing a connection to the prime elicitor of the thin place. When experiencing these places centering situate the participant at the center of the world.3 It gives absolute location to the experience. For example, the oculus opening in James Turrell’s Twilight Epiphany Skyspace in Houston or the soft rippling pool in the walled-in garden, center the focus of the experience. Materiality serves a corporeal function for a thin place experience by contrasting the tangible or substantive with the ethereal or immaterial. Further, it gives character and quality to the physical nature of the place. The material quality of the place can be natural or built. For example, the rock cliffs at Skellig Michael or the brick pavers in the Siena Campo. Additionally, the contrast between the older stone walls of the Steeple Dingle with its new steel frame interior is an example of the design language and material quality of the place as prime elicitors. Ceremonial participation is the direct response, interaction or ritual observance within a thin place, and in many ways is the crux of the numinous experience. This pattern was incredibly important in labyrinth walk in Toronto, Canada and the construction process before completion and the meditations after completion within the StarHouse in Boulder, Colorado. The ceremonial activities accelerated the transformative experiences. This is particularly important with serene thin places where connecting self and an inner space helps create calm and peacefulness. According to Michael Brill, every construction is an absolute beginning, and its enduringness is assured through ritual and a consecrative act.4 In the architectural thin places, going down and reaching upward are collaborating patterns at the opposite ends of the axis mundi – the mythical concept of connecting Earth with Heaven. Since this effects the vertical dimension, it is normally highly visible, and therefore can have a large impact. The early example of sitting on the edge of the Grand Canyon illustrates this connection to something solid and substantial with a view of the vast space and sky beyond. Another example is within the Chapel at Ronchamp, France, with the stone-filled tapered walls ground the building while the constellation of small truncated stained-glass windows are star-like and project to the heavens. In everyday thin places scale and function support serene experiences. Smaller scaled spaces generally support greater intimacy, while the intention and purpose focus attention to the thin place experience. In order to understand the design considerations for thin places, the case studies for architecture, urban settings and everyday experiences were described and analyzed. The 17 case studies were evaluated for the impact of the pattern presence

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CASE STUDIES

PRESENCE (Quantitative)

EXPRESSION (Qualitative)

1

Siena Campo

4.20

4.25

2

Civitella Village

4.15

4.35

3

Skellig Michael

4.45

4.55

4

Wadi Bani Oasis

4.30

4.45

5

Rothko Chapel

4.10

n/a

6

Ronchamp Chapel

4.45

n/a

7

Skyspace

4.50

4.65

8

StarHouse

4.35

4.55

9

La Estancia Chapel

4.30

n/a

10

Ecumenical Chapel

4.55

n/a

11

The Steeple Dingle

4.30

4.35

12

Walled-in Garden

4.30

4.40

13

Glastonbury Well

4.35

4.40

14

Serenity for Shango

4.35

n/a

15

The Labyrinth

4.15

n/a

16

The Candles

4.05

n/a

17

The Moonlight Walk

4.15 

n/a 

TOTALS AVE

4.30

4.44

Table 6.1 Summary of Case Studies

and the quality of expression. Table 6.1 shows the relative average ectypal pattern scores for Presence and Quality of Expression for each of the case studies in Part 4 and Part 5. Since these case studies were selected on the basis of the quality of their designs and potential numinous experiences, they scored relatively high. Likert Scale scores only varied between 4.05 and 4.55 for presence and between 4.25 and 4.65 for quality of expression. The Skyspace’s singularity of purpose and function and its powerful form, its oculus and the extraordinary use of color and light contributed to its high pattern presence and quality of expression. The Candle case study, because of its small scale and separation from the powerful external forces of nature, celestial, views and luminosity, most likely reduced its overall numbers. The case studies which scored low most often were due to the interiority of the spaces analyzed, often lacking views, access to nature and the elements, verticality and grounding and celestial connections. The case studies showed high number for both the presence and quality of expression of the place patterns. There was a remarkable similarity between the patterns and their qualities. The smaller scaled architectural projects seemed to score slightly lower than the larger, more public places. Skellig Michael, the Twilight Epiphany Skyspace and the StarHouse scored exceptionally high probably because their purpose was intended to create transformative experiences. The Unity Principle seemed to most influence the highest responses among

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the case studies. Most of the patterns scored between 4 and 5 on the Likert scale with the passage, centering, bounding, geometric order, reaching upward and ceremonial participation patterns consistently achieving the highest scores. The patterns commonly receiving the lowest scores were connecting, nature within, and celestial order. The exclusion of nature in these examples is most likely due to their inward focus and that they are architectural and urban rather than nature-oriented thin places. The larger urban case studies did not score quite as high as the others most likely because of the more “public” nature of the functions resulting in less intimacy. However, some urban spaces, like the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, do create intimacy and powerful thin place experiences. So, why thin places? What makes them important? Art, science, philosophy and theology have attempted to unveil answers to these questions. To begin with, they are ever-present and help in our understanding of perennial questions that address the mysteries of life and of our origins, existence and purpose. Thin places provide choices for healthy places in which to live, work and find spiritual renewal. They contribute to our finding solus in nature. They support creating community. They can reduce the temporal density and the stress that accompanies it. And finally, thin places give us refuge from a tumultuous world. Their archetypal content within architecture and urban spaces give service to public health and well-being. Throughout the centuries, sacred cities have been the context for a variety of thin place experiences, including places like Jerusalem, Israel; Vatican City, Italy; Assisi, Italy; Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia; Varanasi and Auroville, India; Lhasa, Tibet; Hotevilla-Bacavi, to name a few. According to Eric Weiner, “The world’s first urban centers, in Mesopotamia, were erected not as places of commerce or empire but, rather, so inhabitants could consort with the gods.”5 Since a thin place is essentially a spatial experience, it truly can be fundamental to architectural and urban placemaking. Weiner further explains, “not all sacred places, though, are thin. Freighted with history, and our outsized expectations, they collapse under the weight of their own sacredness. Important to the design of these places is the frequency (how often), duration (how long), accessibility (how easy) and quality (how much or how intense) of the thin place experience. The patterns and characteristics of thin places are intended to provide a narrative with improved design guidelines for all scales, types of setting, structures and uses. Also, it is important to understand (how) and (where) to exaggerate certain patterns and pattern combinations to help facilitate the intended emotional response. Although many thin places do not necessarily lead to anything as grandiose as a “spiritual breakthrough,” but they can help facilitate meaningful transformative experiences. And to Eric Weiner, “in thin places, we become our more essential selves.”6 And according to Yi-Fu Tuan, intimate moments that can occur either through awe or serenity inspired elicitors where often we become passive and allow ourselves to become vulnerable, exposed to the “caress and sting” of the new experience.7 This occurs within the context of this divine presence, original source or exalted emotional state. The outcomes or positive effects of thin place experiences vary depending upon the location, nature, scale and function of

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◼ CONCLUSION the thin place. Categorically, they fall into the following experiential outcome areas: health and wellness outcomes, placemaking outcomes, biophilic outcomes and numinous outcomes.8 Experiences of health and wellness show stress reduction, cognitive activity and emotional effects. Experiences of placemaking include positive social interaction, community building and place identity. The biophilic effects create beneficial connections to the living fabric of nature and to ourselves. And finally, outcome experiences can be numinous giving rise to spiritual awakening, mystery and awe. Health and wellness outcomes from thin place experiences include decreasing stress and temporal density, increasing energy, mental clarity, recovery from fatigue, overcoming high blood pressure and lowering heart rate, improving mood and contributing to insights for a potential, balance and purposeful direction.9 Positive mood effects include a sense of well-being, improved selfesteem, less impatient and more available time.10 Placemaking outcomes create an increase in place identity and stewardship, boredom and loneliness reduction, an increase in connectiveness and positive social interactions, personal safety allowing for enhanced perceptions and increased presence and carrying cosmic narratives and models of place. Placemaking also supports prosocial behaviors with increases in generosity, helpfulness, compassion and enhanced collective concerns.11 Biophilic outcomes include increased connections to nature in terms of natural processes and phenomena, extraordinary natural wonders, serene and healing places, improved mental acuity and the potential of positive social interactions. They also include pro-environmental behaviors with positive attitudes about both the natural and built environments. Numinous outcomes include awe-eliciting numinous experiences that transcend the normal experience of ordinary life with positive emotional and cognitive effects, emersed in the grip of a superior power and the ineffable and producing an overwhelming sense of clarity and mnemonic remembering.12 Serene emotions function similarly. Accommodation from a post-awe or post-serene experience helps re-orientation, cognitive processing and allow for emotional re-adjustment. Following are the potential thin place outcomes combining benefits from awe, serene, biophilic and spiritual experiences: 1. Stress reduction 2. Increase activity 3. Improved respiratory function 4. Lower diastolic blood pressure 5. Increase cognitive ability 6. Increase focused attention 7. Reduced absenteeism 8. Improve emotions and mood 9. Reduce obesity 10. Increase healing rates 11. Increase learning rates 12. Increase job performance 13. Improved sleep and circadian cycles

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14. Improved nutrition 15. Improved biodiversity 16. Decrease temporal density 17. Increase generosity 18. Increase self-transcendence 19. Helps explain existential questions 20. Increase life satisfaction An interesting correspondence occurs among the positive outcomes from wellness design strategies, biophilia, awe and serene emotions, Blue Zones lifestyles and with the longer term benefits derived from thin places experiences. These in turn can create positive pro-individual (interpersonal), pro-social (altruistic), proenvironmental (biospheric) behaviors.13 •

•

•

Pro-individual behaviors (interpersonal) – manifests with health-related lifestyles and an increased well-being and positive health effects physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually particularly with stress reduction, increase activity, improved nutrition and the perception of having more time. Awe-eliciting experiences might offer one effective way of alleviating the feeling of time starvation and temporal density. Experiences of awe help improve mood increasing life satisfaction. Awe also can create clarity of mind and critical thinking. Awe experiences contribute to the “small self-effect” and self-transcendence and the experience of humility. And finally, pro-individual behaviors can lead to positive post-experience accommodation. Pro-social behaviors – are a broad class of behaviors defined as involving costs for the self and resulting in benefits for others. They manifest with positive social relationships that promote interaction, friendship, generosity, empathy, gratitude, sharing, community building and developing desirable traits, which includes socially responsible behaviors to infectious disease like COVID-19, and potentials for greater satisfaction and longevity. Both awe and serene experiences can create a greater sense of connectedness supporting pro-social behaviors including cooperation, altruism, as well as mutualism.14 Pro-environmental behaviors – manifests in positive attitudes about the environment and preservation of nature with biospheric values, awareness of climate change, global forest loss and sustainable living practices and sensitivity to consumption patterns and their effect on the environment. The numinous sense of connectedness also extends to place and the environment leading to environmental awareness, consciousness and action behaviors, thereby potentially reducing the negative environmental and climatic impacts caused by human activities. Pro-environmentalism supports a heightened awareness of about environmental problems and the need to change human lifestyle behaviors.

Referring back to the original questions posed in this book, the first question was, exactly what is a thin place, and the second, what are the environmental

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◼ CONCLUSION and placemaking characteristics that render them thin? While the experience of a thin place is homo-centric, it is a source that is believed to initiate the connection. A source along with archetypes and ectypes are unseen. These unseen qualities carry “charges” according to Michael Brill that transform us from ordinary experiences to other emotional and cognitive states.15 It is the ectypes that are viewed as patterns that inform thin places. And it is these ectypes that become design guides for the design of thin places. There are numerous “triggers” or “elicitors” which initiate the experiences from varying emotion clusters – the extraordinary and vast to the calm and serene. These seemingly opposite kinds of transcendent experiences are each important in architectural design. There are “flavors” of these experiences including beauty, virtue, human ability, the supernatural and fear.16 It is both the beauty of natural landscapes and the transcendence of architecture, that is important in understanding thin places, Figure 6.1. They are also informed by archetypal principles – the unity, generative, formative, corporeal and re-generative principles, which act as high moral, ethical and spiritual intentions. Thin places are also informed by a set of ectypal patterns which are useful in understanding and in the planning and design of thin places. These patterns form the basis for the design of or the inherent observations of thin places. They can function as guidelines for the design of thin places occurring at any scale, and they can be filters through which to analyze thin places. The combinatory effect of each of the patterns giving energy to one another, and the pattern generosity is a caricature that gives distinction, vastness in the case of awe experiences and intimacy with serene experiences. And finally, there are positive outcomes resulting from the numinous, awe, serene and the charged nature of thin places experiences. The relationship between place, spirituality and wellness continues today as people still seek healing of body, emotions, mind and spirit in special settings and at home. According to Craig Anderson, “big moments that people have in their lives are going to produce awe, but what a lot of recent research is showing is that even those more everyday experiences of awe – just briefly noticing the beauty of nature in our neighborhood or in our backyard – those can have a positive effect on our well-being.”17 Silence and serenity are proving to be more desirable in a fast paced and digital world. Additionally, in times of great global uncertainty, climate change and social unrest, pro-social and pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors seem ever more important. These experiences provide social cohesion and solidarity, enforce spiritually based morals and norms, and to offer meaning to existential questions. The discourse on architecture and urban design most often focuses on values of conceptual, formal, functional or programmatic, technical and material characteristics of design using an expression of terms or a form language leading to the stirring of emotions and describing various levels of meaning, especially those related to our beginnings and to our futures. This work puts forward a new perspective on this language that at its core are the experiences of awe or serenity within the context of thin places. It is a re-invigorated ability to describe an architecture or urban design.

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6.1 (a) Northern Lights, (b) Salk Institute Sunset

Key to a thin place experience, whether it is an awe-inspiring place or an intimate one, is access to it. This includes an intentional visit to a national park or forest, a museum or botanical garden or a cemetery or church. It also includes encounter to unintentional places found in everyday life, such as a walk in a nearby woods, a nook or cranny at work, or a special designated place within the home.

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◼ CONCLUSION What is needed is a reinvigoration and interpretation of thin places in the ways in which they correspond to contemporary lifestyles and settings. Following is a list of strategies for ensuring greater access to and possibilities for a thin place experience: • • • • • • • • • • •

Preservation of national parks and forests Preservation of historic sites and landmarks Preservation of historic buildings Preservation of culturally significant urban spaces Openness to nature-occurring thin places Openness to everyday thin place opportunities Creating domestic sanctuary spaces Creating time to experience numinous moments Planning for easier access to thin places Finding quiet and serene moments during the day Reducing temporal density

From secluded serene meadows in the woods to panoramic ocean-view sunsets, and from personal alcoves to shooting stars, from healing gardens to grand parks, from chapels to important civic buildings and from monastic compounds to pedestrian city centers, thin place patterns contribute to an enlivened experience with positive outcomes. And they certainly inform both the mysterious, unusual and hidden functions of architecture and urban design. The source, archetypes and ectypes are the hidden or unseen, but find presence and expression in the physical typal world within which we all dwell. Although thin places have been experienced for millennia, they are particularly important today. They can help in processing personal emotional issues and problems with which we are confronted. Their outcomes can provide individual and collective benefits, from happiness and health to perhaps more unexpected benefits such as generosity, gratitude, humility and critical thinking. Built thin places offer opportunities for spatial sanctity, beauty and adornment, vitality as well as serenity, transcendent and spiritual experiences that combine in creating the architecture of the numinous. A thin place experience is not necessarily about going to a thin place, but rather being in a place where you are. Thin places ultimately provide a connection between the energy of the universe and the sun to the very cells within our bodies giving us vital energy. The emotional benefits of thin places still persist. While the physical characteristics and patterns that are common to thin places exist, they also are identifiable and understandable. What should be remembered is that reaching a thin place and its veil, to its very edge and experiencing its ultimate threshold of its thinness, brings us into the unknown and the immeasurable. That which we seek in a thin place experience appears beyond us. Beyond the veil inhabits an energy, the enchanting, the extraordinary and the sanctity of the sacred, and contains spirits and magic of other worlds. And it is for these reasons that thin places still remain compelling and maintain value for us today. While the search for thin places seems

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to be an outside pursuit, perhaps the ultimate realization is that we, ourselves, are a thin place. According to Louis I. Kahn, “Inspiration is the feeling at the threshold where Silence and Light meet.”18 There is a space, That exists with us, And around us, Where angels sing on rays of light, On rays of light, And love pours forth, Love pours forth, Love pours forth, About the heart of the universe.19 NOTES 1. Hall, Edward T., The Hidden Dimension (New York, NY: Anchor Books, 1966), pp. 41–73. 2. Brill, Michael, Using Place-Creation Myth to Develop Design Guidelines for Scared Space (Self-published, September 25, 1985), p. 24. 3. Ibid., p. 19. 4. Ibid., p. 20. 5. Weiner, Eric, Where Heaven and Earth Come Closer (Accessed February 3, 2021) https:// www.nytimes.com/2012/03/11/travel/thin-places-where-we-are-jolted-out-of-old-ways-ofseeing-the-world.html 6. Ibid. 7. Tuan, Yi-Fu, Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience (Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1977), p. 137. 8. Tabb, Phillip, Biophilic Urbanism: Designing Resilient Communities for the Future (New York, NY: Routledge, 2019). 9. Minich, Deanna, The Health Benefits of Awe-Ad How to Find “Awe-some” Moments (Accessed November 10, 2021) https://deannaminich.com/the-healthbenefits-of-awe-and-how-to-find-awe-some-moments/ 10. Rudd, Melanie and Kathleen Vohs, Awe Expands People’s Perception of Time and Enhances Well-Being (Accessed November 10, 2010) https://www.gsb.stanford. edu/faculty-research/publications/awe-expands-peoples-perception-time-enhanceswell-being 11. Allen, Summer, The Science of Awe (Accessed September 7, 2021) https://ggsc.berkeley. edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Awe_FINAL.pdf 12. Corbett, Lionel, Varieties of numinous experiences: the experience of the sacred in the therapeutic process, The Idea of the Numinous: Contemporary Jungian and Psychoanalytic Perspectives, Ed. Ann Casement and David Tacey (London, UK: Routledge, 2006), p. 54. 13. Allen, Summer, Eight Reasons Why Awe Makes Your Life Better (Accessed November 15, 2021) https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/eight_reasons_ why_awe_makes_your_life_better 14. Mares, Marie-Louise and Emory H. Woodard, Positive Effects of Television on Children’s Social Interaction: A Meta-analysis (Accessed December 5, 2021) https://psycnet.apa.org/ record/2006-12100-017 15. Brill, Michael, The Origin of “Charged” and Mythic Landscapes – A Speculation (Selfpublished November 6, 1989), p. 2. 16. Yaden David B., Kaufman, Scott Barry, Hyde, Elizabeth, Chirico, Alice, Gaggioli, Andrea, Zhang, Jia Wei and Keltner, Dacher, The development of the Awe Experience Scale

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◼ CONCLUSION (AWE-S): A multifactorial measure for a complex emotion (Accessed September 5, 2020) https://scottbarrykaufman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/The-development-of-theAwe-Experience-Scale-AWE-S-A-multifactorial-measure-for-a-complex-emotion.pdf 17. Anderson, Craig, The Benefits of Feeling Awe (Accessed January 28, 2022) https:// greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_benefits_of_feeling_awe 18. Lobell, John, Between Silence and Light: Spirit in the Architecture of Louis I. Kahn (Boulder, VO: Shambhala, 2008). 19. Snatam Kaur and Peter Kater, Heart of the Universe (Spirit Voyage, 2013).

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Glossary of Related Terms

Accommodation – Keltner & Haidt’s process of adjusting cognitive structures that cannot assimilate a new experience Affective responses – the emotional response and subjective experience to a situation or place Anemoia – the longing for a time one has never quite known Awe – a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder Awe-absorption – the tendency to be fully immersed in internal and external stimuli during an awe experience Awe-flavors – features producing a range of experiences such as threats, beauty, ability, virtue and the supernatural Awe physiology – the effects of an awe experience resulting in goosebumps, chills and changes in facial expression Awe-spotting – the ability to discover and utilize moments of pause to become more present and mindful experiencing awe Awe walk – is a stroll in which you intentionally shift your attention outward instead of inward Axis Mundi – the vertical axis between celestial poles and heaven and Earth Blue mind – the mildly meditative or peaceful state when near or under water Blue spaces – contemplative practice where bodies of water elicit numinous experiences Celestial moments – a feeling of connectedness to the larger expansive universe Charged places – places creating an ancient stirring within us, where there is a wave of sensory unity Choir of angels – Pseudo-Dionysian depiction of angelic energies that exist in a hierarchal progression toward God Clairsentience – meaning “clear feeling” and mystical perception or knowing Clairvoyance – meaning “clear vision” and perception beyond normal sensory content Connectedness – awe-inspired state of relationships and affinities between other people, places and the world as a whole Consecration – the action of completion and making or declaring something sacred Core affect – a causal and central inner and often foundational heartfelt experience of the sacred Double forgetting – forgetting we forgot that we are a part of the greater whole Double remembering – remembering to remember that we are a part of the grater whole Elaborated awe – awe experiences altered by culture-specific norms, meanings and practices Elicitors – general features of stimuli that evoke the experience of awe or serenity Embraced places – place experiences of intimacy, affection and humble in character Emotion – distinct feelings that are associated with non-verbal expressions, subjective experiences and neural and physiological responses Emotional intelligence – is the ability to understand, use and manage emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict Emplacement – the act or experience of situating and locating within a place [thin place]

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◼  GLOSSARY OF RELATED TERMS Enchantment – charmed feeling of fascination, attraction, pleasure and recognition of the world’s spirituality Enhanced perception – where all senses are functioning, activated and focused with an increase of attention Enliven – a quality or energy that is life giving, vital and animate contributing to the process of transformation Ephemeral – a transitory numinous experience lasting for a short period of time Epiphany – the awareness and experience of something extraordinary, supernatural or divine Ethereality – a place or experience that is borne from ether and the otherworldly, celestial and light-filled Ethos – meaning accustomed habitat or place and its character or ability to inspire Euphoria – feeling of intense well-being and happiness Everyday sacred – heightened, and numinous experiences that occur within ordinary places and architecture Everywhen – an experience that occurs at any or all times Existential questions – issues of uncertainty, human beginnings, future existence, carrying capacity of the Earth Extraordinary experiences – astonishing encounters that are remarkable, memorable and unusual Fanan – Latin for holy Fascination – the power, charm, unusual nature or attraction of an object, place or experience Feminist geography – settings that emphasis social difference and significance of embodiment, emotion and spatial intimacy Flavors of awe – states producing threat, beauty, ability, virtue and supernatural causality Foodscape – human-nature connections to the food production system Forest bathing – contemplative practice of all-senses emersion into a forest atmosphere Geomancy – the art of placing or arranging buildings or other sites auspiciously Geomantic amnesia – a partial or total loss of memory, forgetting our connections to the Earth and wholeness Golden thread – a seamless sacred connection from source to ideation to manifestation to experience Grace – the unconditional and intrinsic quality of elegance and beauty of form and nature Harmony – is the balance, consonance and proportion of parts Hermetic quality – relating to the abstruse, concealed and mystical ideas Heterotopia – Foucault’s “other place” that is disturbing, intense, incompatible, contradictory or transforming Imago Mundi – the terrestrial model of the world emerging from a point or the axis mundi Immaterial – the state or quality of the non-physical without matter, such as spirit, soul or lifeforce Inclusive – including and encompassing all ideas, belief systems and people Incorporeal – insubstantial having no material existence (body or form) Inspiring – an inward experience of a charged, stirring and extraordinary external cause or source Light – the radiant source of truth, goodness and beauty emanating from the divine, quality of sacred architecture Liminal space – a transitional threshold and crossing over to where something is nearing to unfold and be explained Lived space – one of Lefebvre’s triad of perceived, conceived and “othering” all-embracing and never fully knowable spatiality Lived spiritual experience – the notion that numinous experiences occur naturally and everyday Luminosity – the outward magnitude and emanation of a light-emitting source, divine apparition Mesmeric places – spaces that become a fascinating and profound power that is transfixed and spellbound

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GLOSSARY OF RELATED TERMS  ◼

Mystery – a profound enigma that perplexes and is not fully known, understood or solved Mystic state – an experience that is ineffable, having noetic quality, is transitory and facilitates passivity Mythogenesis – giving mythic status or meaning to principles or concepts Nearness – a close and intimate proximity to ‘the Other’ in both space and time Noetic – mental or cognitive activity related to numinous experiences, revelations and gained knowledge Nonmaterial – not matter, physical or substantive, but rather intellectual, abstract, conceptual or spiritual in nature Numinous – Rudolf Otto’s experiences of fascination, mystery and terror, with the presence of divinity Oratory – fourteenth-century term for a small chapel and place of spiritual rhetoric Orison – an archaic word for prayer, mystical contemplation or meditation, communion or speaking to source Otherly – experiences that are different occurring outside of the self and the ordinary Overview or ultraview effect – a subjective response to the overwhelming views of Earth in space or starfields Pathos – emotions and insights that already reside from within Peek experience – Abraham Maslow concept of an altered state of consciousness and elevated form of perception Perceived vastness – observing something physically larger than oneself or from a grand idea Phenomenal unity – the experience of wholeness especially as time is perceived to stand still Piloerection – involuntary muscle reaction due to a thin place experience (goose bumps and feeling cold) Plurilocality – Edward Soja’s the existence of differences and complexities of multiple dimensions of space Positive emotions – serve as markers of flourishing, or optimal and enduring wellbeing Postsecularism – the reemergence and coexistence of both religion and nonfaith-based social, political and cultural impulses Prayer – an invocation, process or ceremonial participation directed to a deity or universal quality/energy through deliberate communication or direct devotional action Presence – the state of being in a place (human, Earth and cosmic) or the existence of unseen forces or spirit Primordial awe – hard-wired emotional responses from low charged to high-charged more powerful settings/situations Prosocial – positive awe behavior promoting social acceptance that is friendly and helpful Pro-environmentalism – behaviors that support biospheric values, place identity and climate change awareness Proxemic – Edward T. Hall’s behavioral concept of the hidden organization, interactions and use of space Psychic amphibians – the ability to remember transcendence experiences from one state (heaven) to another (Earth) Quiet awe – are transcendent experiences derived from less grand elicitors occurring on a more intimate scale Rapt attention – completely focused, fascinated and elevated away Rescaling – process of changing the scale and proportion of our circumstances Reverence – deep respect or regard for someone, something or place Reworlding – is to experience, reconstruct or express our perception of the world differently (accommodation) Sacred geometry – ascribes symbolic meanings and resonances with certain geometric shapes, forms and proportions Sacred places – nonsecular places of renewal, healing, meditation, historic significance and religious experiences

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◼  GLOSSARY OF RELATED TERMS Sanctuary – a safe place for sacred experiences, and in religious architecture containing the high altar Self-transcendent experience – altered state and feeling of diminished self (small self) relative to one’s surroundings (thin place) Sensory unity – is a confluence of sensual experiences (visual, auditory, haptic, olfactory and somatosensory) Serenity – is an emotion where behavioral and cognitive responses that are associated with feeling calm, peaceful and untroubled Seven rays – from ancient Hindu and Hermetic Philosophy offering specific affirmations and energetic qualities Small self – an awe-stimulated diminishment of self, due to a vastness of experience and surroundings Spirit – meaning the breath of life in one’s heavenly being, or the inspiring character of an extraordinary building Spirituality – giving meaning to existence, and subsequently allowing one to transcend beyond the present context Soul – the ineffable essence and life-force of one’s earthly being, or the endearing character of a loved building Source experience – the feeling of nearness and unity in proximity to the extraordinary, sacred or divine Still point – is a location with no size or dimensional attribute where time stands still Sublimation – the process of sublimation or the transfer from one state (the spiritual) to another (the secular) Surrender – diffusing temporal density, letting go and being open to uncertainty and the unknown Sympathetic resonance – phenomenon where a vibratory body responds to vibrations having a harmonic likeness Temenos – a separate and reserved domain or precinct dedicated to spiritual uses Temporal density – where too many activities, tasks, ideas and feelings occupy a given frame of time Terror – the feeling induced by danger, threat and where overwhelming aspect of the numinous appears The Other – Rudolf Otto’s concept of the nonrational mystery and absolute existence without relating to any other Thin places – spatial threshold where a svelte veil exists between our secular realms and the sacred world, holy bridge Thirdspace – Edward Soja’s concept of real and imagined, and knowable and unknowable qualities of lived space Time stands still – where perception of calendrical time slows down and becomes momentarily still Transcendence – experiences that climb and occur beyond the normal and physical realms Unity experience – a subjective sensory experience where parts and fragments amalgamate into a single whole wholly Other – Rudolf Otto’s concept of psychic states in certitude of the transcendent otherworldliness and are completely different and separate than all other things that exist Wild awe – heightened awareness of the vastness and power of nature, awakening instincts and often evoking terror Wonder – perceiving something rare or unexpected, but not threatening

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Suggested Reading

1. Allen, Summer (2018), The Science of Awe. 2. Thomas Barrie, Julio Bermudez and Phillip James Tabb (Eds.) (2015), Architecture, Culture, and Spirituality. 3. Michael Brill (1985), Using the Place-Creation Myth to Develop Design Guidelines for Sacred Space. 4. Campbell, Joseph (1991), The Masks of God. 5. Ann Casement and David Tacey (Eds.) (2006), The Idea of the Numinous: Contemporary Jungian and Psychoanalytic Perspectives. 6. Casey, Edward S. (1997), The Fate of Place: A Philosophical History. 7. Casey, Edward S. (2017), The World on Edge. 8. Critchlow, Keith (1980), Lindisfarne Letter 10, Geometry and Architecture. 9. Corbett, Lionel (2015), The Sacred Cauldron: Psychotherapy as a Spiritual Practice. 10. Highfill, C. Page (2009), Thin Places: and Five Clues in Their Architecture. 11. Mallgrave, Harry (1996), Otto Wagner: Reflections on the Raiment of Modernity. 12. Keltner Dacher (2023), Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life. 13. Keltner, Dacher and Haidt, Jonathan (2003), Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition and Emotion. 14. Lawlor, Robert (1982), Sacred Geometry: Philosophy and Practice. 15. Eliade, Mirea (1957), The Sacred & the Profane: The Nature of Religion. 16. Foucault, Michael (1970), The Order of Things. 17. James, William (2016), The Varieties of Religious Experience. 18 Lane, Belden (1988), Landscapes of the Sacred: Geography and Narrative in American Spirituality. 19. Lobell, John (1979), Between Silence and Light: Spirit in the Architecture of Louis I. Kahn. 20. McLeod, Mary (1997), Architecture of the Everyday by Steven Harris and Deborah Berke, “Henri, Lefebvre’s Critique of Everyday Life: An Introduction.” 21. Otto, Rudolf (1923), The Idea of the Holy. 22. Lewis, Peirce F. (1979), Axioms for Reading the Landscape. 23. Plutchik, Robert (1980), A general psychoevolutionary theory of emotion. 24. Schumacher, Ernst Friedrich (1973), Small is Beautiful Economics as if People Mattered. 25. Ray, Celeste (2020), Sacred Waters: A Cross-Cultural Compendium of Hallowed Springs and Holy Wells. 26. Roberts Kay T. and Theresa C. Messenger (1993), Helping older adults find serenity Geriatric Nursing. 27. Roberts, Kay and Cheryl Aspy (1993), Development of the Serenity Scale (PubMed: Journal of Nursing Measurement). 28. Soja, Edward (1996), Thirdspace: Journeys to Los Angeles and Other Real-and-Imagined Places.

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◼  SUGGESTED READING 29. Swan, James (1990), Sacred Places: How the Living Earth Seeks Our Friendship. 30. Tabb, Phillip James (2019), Elemental Architecture: The Temperaments of Sustainability. 31. David B. Yaden, Scott Barry Kaufman, Elizabeth Hyde, Alice Chirico, Andrea Gaggioli, Jia Wei Zhang and Dacher Keltner (2018), The Development of the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S): A multifactorial measure for a complex emotion. 32. Tuan, Yi-Fu (1977), Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience. 33. Zorn, Justin and Leigh Marz (2022), The Power of Silence in a World of Noise.

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Index

accommodation 11, 18, 27–28, 32–33, 44–46, 48, 63, 80, 130, 137, 195

Bermudez, Julio 88–89, 91, 205 bio-kinetics 10

Alexander, Christopher 63, 89

biophilia xviii, 13–14, 22, 83, 195

Allen, Summer xxiv, 24–26, 33

biophilic hypothesis 11, 13

amnesia 47, 80, 202

biospheric values 33, 44, 195, 203

Anderson, Craig 196, 200

blood pressure 84, 194

angels xxii, 6, 22, 50, 201

blue mind 165, 201

Annunciation 7, 119–120, 122

blue spaces 1, 70, 201

arched 8, 37

blue zones 29, 52, 165, 195

Archetype xv, 3–4, 19, 57, 58–60, 61, 63, 79, 85,

borders 6, 16, 64, 166

87, 196, 198 Architecture xv, 1, 3–4, 12, 17, 38, 68, 88, 91, 92–93, 140, 148 everyday 148, 182–183, 186 extraordinary 14, 25, 67, 73, 80, 87, 91, 94, 119, 141, 143, 148, 186, 189 interior 156, 158 numinous xiv, xvi, xviii, 21, 91, 124, 140

boundary xiv, 9, 14, 64, 67, 69–70, 78, 94, 101–103, 109, 114, 124, 133, 148–149, 179, 191 bounding 62, 66–67, 70, 83, 95, 97, 100, 105, 109, 115, 124, 127, 135, 154, 160, 190, 193 brain 12, 47–48, 49, 140 breathtaking 14, 19, 93, 96, 113, 155, 180 Brill, Michael xvii, 17–18, 25, 57–59, 64–65, 72–73, 75, 81, 86, 88–89, 149, 190–191, 196

religious 38, 39, 40–41, 71, 120

Browning, Bill xxiv, 64

sacred 38, 42, 94

Buettner, Dan 29, 52, 165

soulful 2, 4, 14, 25, 35, 94, 148–149, 152, 189

Burning Man 172, 173, 177

urban 11–12, 17, 25, 28, 32, 67–68, 71, 73, 87, 91, 148, 186, 193, 196 Asmussen, Erik 42, 84, 90 Aspy, Cheryl 25, 35, 52–53, 56

caldron (cauldron) 14, 16, 23, 136 calm xvii, 14, 20, 30, 34–35, 36, 40, 42, 49, 84, 114, 145, 152, 159, 189

astrological 9, 133

Campbell, Joseph 61, 88

astronomy xix, 42, 86, 122, 126, 130, 136, 149

Campo di Siena 93–94, 95, 96–97, 98–99, 100–101, 141, 191, 192

awe elicitors 28, 32–34, 49, 55

Casey, Edward S. 13, 16–17, 23, 25, 46, 55, 57, 63

emotions xviii, 27, 32, 34, 36, 42, 44, 73,

celestial presence (moments) 131, 135–136, 172,

99–100, 111, 118, 130, 137

192, 201

flavors 33–34, 201

central 11, 86, 95–97, 100–101, 148–149

walk 86, 183, 201

centering xxii, 16, 61, 66, 67, 69, 83, 113, 118, 184,

awe-absorption 49, 183, 201 awe-spotting 183, 188 axioms 3, 79, 96 axis mundi 64, 72, 191, 201

190, 191 ceremonial participation 63, 65, 68, 74–75, 94, 100, 107, 130, 137, 141, 143, 156, 170, 184, 190 Celtic xiv, xv, 5–6, 8, 60–61, 166

beauty 1, 11, 14–15, 21, 25, 27, 29, 33–34, 71, 82–83, 91, 113, 118, 141, 196, 198, 202 behavior 5, 20, 25, 45, 47, 83, 189, 195–196, 203

characteristics xvii, 1–2, 4, 13–15, 18, 30, 35, 50, 64, 79, 82, 88, 122, 149, 162 charged places xvii, 2, 12, 17–18, 19–20, 59, 64

207  ◻

◼ INDEX Chartres Cathedral xvii, 33, 35, 40–41, 177

Early Christian xviii, 10, 107–108, 110

chills 19, 28, 180

Earth (earth) xiv, xix, xxi, 5–6, 8, 12, 17, 21, 35,

Chiotti, Roberto & Richard Vosko 40, 41

38, 45, 57, 59, 61–62, 68, 70–74, 99–100,

Christian xviii, 6, 8, 10, 20, 72, 94, 107–108,

110, 116, 118, 120, 125, 127, 135, 139, 146,

110, 166 circadian cycles 84, 194 Civitella 101, 102–105, 106–107, 141, 190, 192 cognitive xv, 2, 4, 11, 13, 18, 20, 27, 30, 35–36, 45–46, 48, 77, 84, 194 combinatory effect 78–80, 88, 130, 196 Coombs, Robert 120, 146 connection xv, xvii, 1, 4–5, 17, 29, 40, 64, 67, 69, 80, 82, 84, 104, 109, 152, 160, 171, 185–186, 191, 194

171–172, 180, 186, 191, 202 ectype 3–4, 58–59, 61, 63–64, 76, 85, 100, 130, 137, 196, 198 edge 8, 13–14, 16, 19, 23, 36, 39, 50–51, 60, 67, 82, 108, 125–126, 190–191 elements xxii, 4, 8, 12, 57, 59, 61–64, 66–68, 71, 73–74, 78, 111, 118, 128, 135, 155, 159, 163, 166, 176, 186, 189 elicitors xviii, 1, 11, 14–15, 19, 29–30, 32–33, 35, 55, 70–71, 118, 124, 142, 190–191, 193, 196

consecration xvii, 74, 131–132, 201

Ekman, Paul 26, 52

constellation 10, 62, 67, 70, 119, 120, 122,

Elk, Michael 25, 47–48, 55

136, 191

emotion 11, 25–26, 28–32, 34–35, 52, 201

container 14–16, 118, 136

cluster 17, 28–30, 32, 120, 122, 183, 187, 196

contemplation 73, 119, 139, 172, 203

scale 29, 34, 48, 72, 74

Corbett, Lionel 12, 14, 16, 23, 32, 38

theory 25–26, 29, 34

core affect 20, 201

wheel 26–27, 29–30, 42, 49

corporeal 13–14, 20, 58, 61, 63, 76, 91, 118, 191

enchanting 32

Corporeal Principle 107, 111, 118, 128, 130, 159,

energy 2–4, 6, 14–15, 17, 20, 57, 59–62, 68–68,

181, 196

77–78, 84, 169, 180, 191, 196, 198

cortex 47–48, 49

enhanced perception 20, 33, 67, 76, 82, 202

COVID 101, 183, 189, 195

epiphany 28, 33–34, 94, 124, 202

creation myths 6, 38, 57–58, 64

everyday xv, xvii, 1, 11, 21, 29, 41–42, 46, 50,

cultural 1, 10, 12, 17–18, 38, 59, 65, 67, 70, 83

81–82, 148–150, 152, 182–183, 187, 189–190, 197, 202

Davis, Tchiki 35, 53

evidence-based 34, 77

Day, Christopher 42, 148, 187

exaggeration 71, 78–79, 88

daylight (daylighting) 75, 116, 132

experience xv, xvii–xix, 1, 4–5, 12–14, 16–18, 20,

death 34, 38, 40, 83,

25, 27–28, 31–33, 38–39, 41, 44–48, 50, 58,

defensive 11, 104, 106

62–63, 68–69, 76, 78–82, 84, 91, 114, 118,

density 10, 73, 176 design 71–72, 76–77, 84–85, 87, 93–94, 100, 119, 122, 130, 137–138, 141, 152, 172, 183, 186–187, 189–190, 193 Devereux, Paul 22 differentiated bounding 66–67, 69, 97, 105, 109, 127, 135, 154, 160, 169, 175, 185 dimension xv, 10, 14–15, 31, 39, 63, 72, 81–82, 141, 156, 186, 189, 191, 199, 203 direct experience 41, 68, 76, 87, 89, 125

120–121, 130, 158, 177, 180, 190–191, 198 existential questions 3, 13–14, 38, 47, 84, 195–196 expression 2–3, 26, 28, 47, 63, 69, 72, 75–76, 77–78, 107, 113, 116, 120, 122, 135, 141, 155, 189, 192 extending outward 65, 67, 69, 97, 105, 109, 115, 135, 153, 160, 169, 175, 185 extraordinary 1, 3, 5, 14, 20, 25, 30, 33–35, 67, 81, 91, 94, 113, 119, 143, 148, 155, 186, 189, 198, 202

direction 62, 64, 66, 68, 72, 106, 110, 116, 135, 149, 155, 160, 176–177, 185 disease 35, 195 divine 2–5, 10, 12, 14, 20, 24, 29, 31, 38,

facilitator 50 fascination xix, 31–32, 44, 80, 107, 117–118, 158, 202

61, 72, 75, 77, 80, 82, 94, 120, 148,

Feng Shui 160

193, 202

Fenwick, Peter 49, 56

double forgetting 46, 80, 82, 201

fertility 42, 60, 71, 149

double remembering 46, 80, 82, 189, 201

first place 12, 15, 19, 57–58, 63, 149

dreams 13, 32, 76

focus xiv, 2, 12, 40, 45, 59, 62, 69, 82, 94, 122,

durable 77

148, 158, 177, 183, 190–191

208  ◻

INDEX  ◼

forest bathing 1, 75, 173, 202 forgetting 46, 80, 82, 201 form 8, 10, 14, 16, 19, 37, 39, 42, 45–46, 58–59,

heaven xix, 2, 5–7, 21, 23, 38, 39, 61, 63, 68, 70, 72, 93, 124, 135, 165, 191 Heerwagen, Judith 60, 88,

61–63, 65, 73, 77, 79, 91, 100, 106, 118–119,

height 14–15, 21, 73, 83

124, 136, 196

Highfill, C. Page 10, 22, 205

Formative Principle 58, 61–62, 71, 76, 84, 100, 107, 111, 120, 135, 137, 141, 170, 177, 196

Holy xviii, 2, 9–10, 12, 15, 20, 29, 31, 33, 165–166, 168–170, 205

Foucault, Michael 12, 17, 202 foundations 42, 68, 135

image 7, 10, 19, 31, 34, 48, 59, 76, 153

Fredrickson, Barbara 28, 35, 52

imago mundi 64, 202

function 13, 16, 37, 40, 42, 66, 68, 73, 77, 83–84,

immeasurable 20–21, 24, 77, 82, 198

96, 99–100, 107, 110, 116, 123, 125, 128,

incarnation 20

135, 141, 148, 155, 158, 160, 169, 176, 185

information xvi, 11, 38, 46–47, 76, 141

fountain 69, 93, 96, 98, 170

inner peace 20, 29, 35–36, 40, 45–46, 53,

garden xiv, xxi, 1, 6–7, 12, 59–60, 138–139,

inspiration 3, 28, 31, 34, 38, 61, 73, 86, 91, 122,

84, 149 159–161, 162–163, 164–165, 198 geometry xvii, 12, 39, 62, 97, 120–121, 131, 133, 135, 160, 166, 169, 202 Generative Principle 58, 61–62, 76, 107, 120 generosity 21, 33, 49, 68, 72, 78–79, 84, 93, 148, 194–196, 198 Genesis 13, 23, 38, 58, 88 genius loci 3, 143, 184

126, 199 interiority 5, 17, 124, 192 intimate xxi, 2, 13, 26, 30–31, 32, 36, 39, 50, 83–84, 96–97, 119–121, 139, 149–150, 152, 179–180, 190, 193, 197 intrinsic 10, 21, 70, 202 Ireland xviii, xxi, 8–9, 60, 87, 108, 113, 152–153, 159, 166, 172, 183

glass 39, 71, 73, 78, 94, 124, 137–138, 141, 158

island xv, 6, 8, 59–60, 108–109, 110–111, 166

Glastonbury Tor 6, 166, 168–170, 171, 185–186,

Isle of Iona 6, 8, 22

Global Wellness Institute xxiv, 44, 54

Izard, Carol 26, 52

God xxii, 5–6, 20, 28, 33–34, 39–40, 47, 61, 70, 72, 80, 88, 108, 113–114, 120, 124, 146,

James, William 13, 23

186, 193

Jenks, Charles 124, 146

going down 5, 66, 68, 71–72, 83, 98, 106, 110,

journey xviii, 59, 113, 115, 177

116, 128, 135, 155, 160, 169, 176, 186 Goodwin, Malcolm 6, 22

Kahn, Louis I. 199–200

goosebumps 19, 180

Kamitsis, Llias & Andrew Francis 38, 53

grace xxiii, 40, 50, 62, 68, 152, 202

Kant, Emmanuel 28, 32, 82, 90

Grand Canyon 5, 16, 27, 34, 50–51, 79, 83, 187, 31,

Keltner, Dacher xviii, 10, 22, 25, 27, 30, 32, 34

34, 48, 191 gratitude 28, 35, 187, 195, 198

Koch, Kevin 8, 22 Krinke, Rebecca xvi

Greek 3, 13, 20, 58, 80, 119, 122, 177 ground xiv, xxii, 8, 17, 42, 61–62, 68, 71–72, 74, 79, 102–103, 121, 131, 149, 155, 159, 165, 176, 191 grounding 16, 61, 83, 94, 105, 114, 117, 124, 128, 134, 139, 169–170, 186

labyrinth xv, 41, 69, 136, 171–172, 176, 178, 183, 185, 191 land xiv, xxii, 3, 14, 37, 42, 68, 74, 99, 128, 136, 159, 170, 173–174, 177 Lane, Belden 3, 10, 17, 22, 79, 96 Lawlor, Robert xvii, 58, 88

Hall, Edward T. 189, 199

Le Corbusier 42, 119, 122, 146

haven 35–36, 47, 116

ley lines 169

healing 1, 13–14, 34, 37, 42, 73, 83–84, 85, 114,

life satisfaction 28, 84, 195

117, 149, 158, 160, 165–166, 170, 189, 194, 196 health 9, 17, 21, 25, 29, 34–35, 39, 45, 84, 152, 165, 180, 189, 194–195 heart xxii, 6, 8, 21, 26, 28, 50, 58, 79, 126, 194, 199

light 8, 10, 15, 19, 27, 39, 64, 68, 74, 78, 84, 119–120, 124–125, 126, 128, 131, 134, 140, 190, 199–200, 202 living color 67–68, 74, 85. 100, 107, 110, 116, 128, 135, 155, 164, 170, 176, 186 Lotto, Beau 25, 47, 48–49, 90

209  ◻

◼ INDEX luminosity 68, 74, 84, 91, 123–124, 129–130, 139, 141, 173, 180, 190, 192, 202asil

oasis 59–60, 94, 114–115, 116–118, 141, 190, 192 ocean xxii, 8, 27, 31, 70, 74, 109–110

low-arousal 11, 20, 25, 33–34, 36, 140

oculus 74, 78, 83, 93, 95, 125–126, 128–129, 139,

Machu Picchu 83, 86–87

oneness 20, 35, 44, 62

magic (magical) xvii, xxv, 8, 13, 15, 25, 34, 46, 55,

openness viii, 3, 14, 35, 48–49, 198

191–192

71, 103, 122, 126, 169, 180, 198 materiality 20, 57, 64–65, 66, 68, 73, 86, 99, 107, 110, 116, 128, 135, 155, 163, 169, 176, 185,

One World Trade Center 93–94 Oratory xviii–xix, 9, 203 order xviii, 8, 10, 13, 34, 47, 50, 61, 64, 66–67, 71,

190–191

73, 80, 83, 91, 134, 140, 143, 184–185, 205

materialism 82

orientation 36, 39, 61, 63, 66, 68–69, 72, 111, 135,

maze 172, 177 meditation 14–15, 37, 42, 45, 65, 68, 75, 80, 110, 119, 131, 136, 139, 149, 176–177, 191, 203 MIT Chapel 83, 91–92 moment xxii, 15–17, 20, 29, 35, 38, 44, 47, 50, 57, 65, 69, 75, 83–84, 118, 148, 159, 165, 183

128, 116, 155, 160, 169, 176, 185 Other xv, xvii, 3, 5, 8, 12, 17, 19–21, 31, 40, 50, 61, 69, 80, 82, 122, 125, 203 Otto, Rudolf xv, xvii, 11, 17, 20, 24, 31–32, 50, 80, 91, 125 overview effect 33, 203

monastery xx, xxi, 94, 108, 111–112, 113 monument 6, 9, 34, 50, 68

Palio di Siena 96–97, 100–101

mood 25, 28, 30, 44, 47, 54, 84, 101, 104, 130,

participation xviii, 38–41, 58, 61, 63, 66, 68, 74, 80,

194–195 mountains xiv, 8, 42, 59, 61, 68, 70, 72–73, 87, 113, 115, 118, 130, 134

94, 100, 107, 110, 116, 128, 135, 155, 164, 170, 176, 186, 190 passage xviii, 6, 9, 16, 53, 62, 64, 66–67, 69,

multiplicity 61–62, 101

86, 96, 98, 105, 108, 112–113, 115, 126,

mutable 6, 16, 73, 125

153–154, 160, 169, 173, 186

mystery 27, 31, 50, 60, 68, 70, 80, 83, 94, 113, 124, 130, 158, 194, 203 myths 4, 6, 38, 57–58, 64, 70, 169, 176

pattern language 64, 89 perception 4, 6, 11, 17, 20, 32, 39–40, 44–45, 47, 57, 62, 64, 67, 79, 83, 129–130, 137, 145, 194–195, 204

natural xxii, 1, 3, 5, 9, 11, 13, 17, 21, 29, 33–34, 42, 49–50, 59, 65, 68, 70, 110, 145, 167, 185

Pew Research Center 40, 54 physiological 1, 17, 25, 28, 41, 100, 130, 201

beauty 83, 137, 141

pilgrimage 6, 61, 120, 122, 177

disasters 49

place 1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 8–10, 13–19, 21, 37, 39, 41, 50,

light 39, 78, 84, 100, 107, 110, 126, 135, 140, 170

57–58, 62–63, 67–68, 71, 76, 79–80, 88, 121 analysis 75–76, 79, 85, 87–88, 100, 157, 175

materials 132, 163, 172

archetypes 58, 60, 87

numbers 61

charged 2, 4, 12, 17–18, 201

wonders 50, 194

edge xxii, 39, 50

nature xvii, 1–3, 11, 13, 14, 19–20, 29, 33, 49–50, 58, 62, 64, 70, 72, 84, 86, 114, 119, 142, 148, 165, 189, 193, 195 nature within 66, 70, 97, 105, 110, 115, 127, 169, 135, 154, 160, 176, 186

identity 33, 50, 79, 94–95 patterns 63–65, 66–67, 71, 78, 85, 87, 96, 98, 104, 111, 115, 133, 162, 187 sequence 80–81 theory xv, 25, 50, 57

neuroscience 10, 47, 48–49, 56

placelessness 82, 90

Newberg, Andrew 49, 56

placemaking 14–15, 25, 63, 69, 77, 81, 93, 124,

Newgrange 6, 9, 71, 172

149, 148–149, 183, 189, 193, 196

Norberg-Schulz, Christian 13, 23

Plutchik, Robert 25–26, 27, 52

Nones 39–40, 54

portal 6, 34, 37, 125, 130, 153, 177

Northern Lights 27, 34, 67–68, 70–71, 74, 197

positive outcomes xvii, 49, 61, 141, 195–196, 198

number 3, 5, 10, 58, 73, 184

preservation xxviii, 33, 44, 152, 195, 198

numinous 8, 10, 13–14, 19–20, 23, 25, 28, 30–34,

Preston, Jesse & Faith Shin 40, 53

40, 44, 47, 50, 52, 70, 80, 87, 91, 113, 117,

productivity 84

183, 194, 196, 198, 203

profane 17, 25, 42, 45, 64, 79–80, 82, 100, 149,

nourishment 14, 116, 118, 160, 165, 171

191, 205

210  ◻

INDEX  ◼

Pro-environmental 44, 152, 195

Serpent Mound 6, 172–173

Pro-individual 195

silence 11, 22, 30, 33, 36–37, 71, 114, 124, 196,

Pro-social 84, 101, 107, 141, 152, 195–196 prototype 26 psychedelic 32, 44–45, 54 psychic amphibian xv, 46, 80, 203 Pulchalski, Christina 38, 54

199–200 Skellig Michael xviii–xx, 10, 94, 108–113, 141, 146, 191–192 Skyspace xv, 94, 124–126, 127–128, 129–130, 141, 197, 191–192 small self 28, 40, 54, 141, 195, 204

qualitative 1–2, 10, 21, 35, 39, 46, 64, 72, 74, 75, 77, 91, 100, 128 quantitative 21, 75, 77, 100, 128, 135, 139, 159 Querido, Rene 41, 54

Soja, Edward 12, 17, 23, 204 space 1, 3, 6, 12–13, 16, 37, 42, 62, 64, 69–71, 79–80, 82, 88, 100, 119, 125, 173 blue 114, 116, interior 40, 122, 158, 191,

Regenerative Principle 58, 61, 63, 118, 120,

sacred xviii, 12, 16, 21, 62, 81, 153, 177

religion 38, 40, 42, 166, 205

public 15, 96

Relph, Edward 82, 90

Third 12, 204

remembering 46–47, 64, 80, 82, 108, 189, 194, 201

Urban 94–97, 105

respiratory function 84, 194

spatial experience 84, 121, 193

resonance 4–5, 18, 20, 47, 61, 69, 72, 180, 204

spatial character 62, 66, 68, 72, 101, 110, 158

Roberts, Kay xviii, 25, 35, 53

spirit of place 184

Rohr, Richard 8, 15, 90

spiritual xxiii, 1–2, 5, 8, 10, 12, 17, 21, 27, 29, 31,

Ronchamp Chapel 94, 119–120, 121–122, 123–124, 141, 146, 191–192 Rothko Chapel xv, 119–120, 121–123, 141, 146, 190, 192 ruins 104, 107

35, 38–40, 46–47, 49, 61, 82, 84, 88, 131, 172, 204 awakening 47, 194 breakthrough 193 renewal 42, 73, 83, 123, 149, 165, 170, 189, 193

sanctuary spaces xvii, 2, 30, 42, 110, 113–114, 120, 131, 149, 153, 158, 189, 198, 204 Saroglou, Vassilis 38, 53

Stararchitecture 187 StarHouse 94, 130–131, 132–134, 136–137, 142, 192

Savanna Hypothesis 11, 13, 60

Steele, John xv, 11, 46, 80

scale xiv, 3, 11, 14, 20, 29, 61, 66, 68, 73–74,

stewardship 21, 33, 73, 160, 164–165, 194

189–190

still point 204

awe 32–34, 52

Stonehenge 6–7, 8, 130,

Likert 75–76, 192

stress 17, 29, 34–36, 42, 44–45, 49, 69, 84, 137,

pattern 99, 110, 116, 128, 135, 155, 160, 169, 176, 184–185 serenity 35–36, 52

165, 177, 194–195, 201 subjectivity 19, 24, 26, 49, 77, 79, 85, 87, 95, 140, 201

science xxiv, 10, 13, 21, 22, 25, 33, 47, 49, 193

sublimation 46, 204

secular realm 2–4, 10, 12, 15, 21, 46, 67, 69,

sun xxii, 8, 62, 64, 68, 70, 74, 86, 96, 105, 110,

80–81, 82, 89, 190

114, 122, 169, 172

semantic 32, 122, 124, 146

sunsets 25, 68, 70, 74, 110, 125, 127, 135, 198

sensual 45, 68, 72, 94, 103–104, 124, 189, 190, 204

supernatural 2, 11, 20, 33, 40, 91, 166, 196

serene xviii, 1–2, 10–11, 17, 20, 25, 27–28, 30,

surprise 19, 26, 30, 39, 42, 45, 153, 156

34–35, 42, 49, 81, 101, 107, 124, 130, 137,

Swan, James 42, 54, 187

140–141, 179, 183, 191, 194–196, 198

symbolism 40, 100, 131, 142, 187

serenity xv, 26, 28–29, 34–36, 39–40, 45, 50, 52,

synchronicity 38, 46

79, 83, 85, 114, 137, 141, 153, 165, 175, 185, 196, 204

Tabb, Phillip xiv, 54, 88, 130, 159

accommodation 45, 47

tangibility 186

emotion 27, 29, 35, 38–39, 118

terror 11, 31, 49, 91, 137, 141, 204

Prayer 39, 54

technology 48

scale 35–36, 52

temporal density 11, 69, 80, 82, 84, 177, 180,

theory 25

193–195, 198, 204

211  ◻

◼ INDEX terrestrial elements 4, 19, 64, 66, 68, 73–74, 94, 99, 136, 165, 186, 202

verticality 61, 66, 68, 72, 114, 128, 135, 155, 160, 186, 192

tetractys 3–4, 136

Vesica Pisces 131–133, 134, 166, 168–169

theology 40, 57, 61, 88, 149, 159, 165, 169, 172,

view xxiii, 1, 4–5, 12, 33–34, 36, 41, 50, 72, 83,

180, 193

139, 153, 191–192, 198

therapy 44–46

Vidar Clinic 83–84, 85

Therme Vals 42–43

view discrimination 9, 39, 62, 64, 66–67, 71, 98,

Thorncrown Chapel 91–92 threshold xviii, 16, 37–38, 41, 65, 67, 80, 96, 105,

106, 110, 116, 128, 135, 154, 160, 169, 176, 186

108, 113, 115, 126, 134, 153, 160, 169, 173,

virtue 5, 11, 28, 33–34, 196

186, 198–199

vitality 6, 21, 31, 117, 160, 165, 198

time xvii, xxii, 4, 6, 11, 16, 20, 32, 44–45, 62, 108, 110, 113, 130, 183, 187, 194–195, 198, 204

Vitruvius 64, 89 void 20, 31, 57, 108, 126

transformation 9, 19, 61, 63, 67, 74, 149, 177, 186 Tree of Life 60–61

Wadi Bani Oasis 94, 114–115, 116–118, 141, 190, 192

Tresemer, David and Lila xxiv, 130

wall 9, 15, 59, 64–65, 67, 72, 92–93, 101–103, 107,

triggers 1, 28–29, 33–34, 169, 175, 196 Trinity Knot 60 Tuan, Yi-Fu 17, 57, 88, 193

119–120, 124, 139, 154, 159–161, 162–163, 183, 186, 191 water 8, 12, 14, 17, 34, 36, 42–43, 59–60, 73–74,

Turrell, James xv, 94, 124–126, 129, 172, 191

83, 92–93, 94, 110, 114–115, 116, 118,

Twilight Epiphany Skyspace 94, 124–126, 129,

165–167, 170

130, 141, 179, 191–192 types 4, 11, 25, 33, 42, 50, 58–59, 63, 83, 85, 87, 91, 107, 126, 189–190, 193

features 11, 44, 64, 83, 97, 98, 139, 152, 163, 194–195 Waterfield, Robin 58, 61, 88 Weiner, Eric 13, 50, 193, 199

underworld 60, 64, 68, 71, 131, 165, 169–170

wellness xxiv, 1, 12, 21, 25, 34, 42

Unity Principle 59, 61–62, 107, 141, 177, 192

Western Wall 92–93

unknown xxii, 1–2, 8, 15, 21, 30, 32, 40, 50,

wholeness 30, 58–59, 61–62, 83–84

80–81, 83, 108, 111, 165, 198 urban design 12, 17, 28, 32, 141, 189, 196, 198

wild awe 70, 204 Wilson, Edward O. 11, 13, 22 wisdom 22, 39, 60, 165,

valley 11, 60, 101, 103, 105, 114, 149, 153 vastness 11, 17, 19, 27, 31, 33, 35, 45, 62, 72,

wonder xxii, 6, 11, 17, 19, 30–31, 34, 40, 44, 57, 86, 100, 113, 126, 130, 141, 158, 180, 204

78–79, 137, 141, 189, 196, 203 veil 2–4, 6, 8, 14–16, 21, 23, 34, 37, 50, 80, 126, 138, 198

Zorn, Justin and Leigh Marz 11, 36, 53 Zumthor, Peter 42–43

212  ◻