Faith

Img 1: People moving towards new belief systems.

Premise

With the gradual increase in people’s belief system and knowledge about Science and Technology, faith in religious authority is seen to diminish variably. The percentage of people falling under this category has been increasing globally.

Atheism is lack of belief in the higher deity. It infact refuses the existence of the almighty altogether.

A poll* called Global Index of Religion and Atheism measures self-perceptions on the beliefs on a global level. Their research conducted in 2013 indicated that 13 percent of the world population identified themselves as atheists. It also indicated that between 40-49.9 percent of people in China were identified as having no agnostic tendency when it comes to believing in the higher deity. Japan, Czech Republic, France, Australia and Iceland were other countries showing an increase in the Atheist population in their country.

*conducted by WIN/Gallup International

 

Img 2: What places offer the feeling of solitude?

Worship Places

Even though people have started disregarding religion/almighty, they don’t disregard visiting a worship place altogether. There are other things that worship places offer apart from connecting to the higher deity. 

For such a population, what meaning can a worship place hold? What are the attributes of such places? What more do they offer apart from connecting to the deity? 

As multiple researches suggest, some people find peace when they visit a worship place, for some it is a source of hope in occasion of distress, for some it is also a source of belongingness to a particular community and the list goes on. 

If an Atheist stops visiting a worship place, where can he reach these emotions? What places can offer him peace and solitude? What kind of places can resonate such feelings?

Where do Atheists go to find peace and solitude? 

Consequently, what would Atheistic Architecture look like?

 

Objectives

Design Challenge - Propose an intervention as a representation of Atheistic Architecture. It should be designed based on a personal interpretation of what such a place should offer. 

Participants can use the suggested objectives to begin their design. However, participants are free to disregard these in exchange of a strong reason and design for their version of Atheistic Architecture.

 

Img 3: Max site area - A schematic sketch.

Site Area

Participants can propose this new Typology of building- Atheistic Architecture keeping in mind the mentioned hypothetical area and given restrictions. Participants can assume any plot shape with the same area. While designing, thought should also be given about what urban-context would their proposed intervention best fit in.

• Max Site Area: 5000sqm.
• Max Ground Coverage: 50%
• Site Coordinates
• No height restrictions.

 

Judging Criteria

The entries will be judged by an international jury of the competition on the following criterions:

 

About Unfuse

Unfuse serves as a unit block for Uni in the field of Architecture. It intends to break the fusion of traditional design barriers and methodologies by making it a platform for experimentation and conceptual exchange of ideas in architecture, urbanism, society, culture and ecology. It is a research initiative dedicated to providing opportunities for designers from all domains to explore ideas that go beyond the boundaries of architectural discipline and enrich our built environment; thereby opening up possibilities for promotion of architectural thought at a global level. 

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