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Argument › No. 16/2024

Postures of the Architectural Object Before and After Inter-Religious Conversion. Sacred transfigurations: Churches - Mosques

https://doi.org/10.54508/Argument.16.05

  • / „Ion Mincu”University of Architecture and Urbanism, Bucharest, RO

Abstract

This article aims to address one of the most controversial aspects of converting sacred spaces: the takeover of a place of worship by another religion while maintaining its original function as a place of worship. This type of conversion is perceived as a loss by those who originally claimed the space and as a victory by those who take control (Coomans et al., 2012), creating a situation where a space exists simultaneously in two states: as a lost space and as a gained space.

The pre and post-conversion states of the architectural object will be analyzed in order to provide a comprehensive perspective on the architectural changes that occur as a result of the conversion process. Highlighting the different states of an architectural object facilitates a deeper understanding of said object and explores the relationship between architectural form and its impact on the user and the way it is perceived.

In this context, the article aims to address the phenomenon of inter-religious conversion of sacred spaces and the states it generates, particularly focusing on the impact that this type of conversion has on how the space becomes a symbol in the collective mindset and how individuals relate to it.

The study will adopt a qualitative research approach, drawing on theories, text and image analyses, case studies, interpretations, and asking open-ended questions. The approach will be interpretative, with the final goal being the exploration and understanding of the phenomenon of inter-religious conversion of sacred spaces.

Keywords

conversion, sacred space, inter-religious, states

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