Architecture and Faith

Siamak Hariri, a well-renowned architect, starts out his talk on sacred spaces my explaining his experience with the design of the Bahá'í Temple of South America, and how the reactions of those he built it for have inspired so much of his work.

As there is no clergy of the Bahá'í, it was highly important for Hariri to express the values of the faith in the architecture of the building itself, as it was a space that meant a great magnitude of importance to those who visit it to pray. In order to do the architecture of the temple justice, Hariri and his team ensured that the walls of the building allowed light to enter in -- which was done with a combination of luminous stone and glass. In addition, the temple was given a beautiful flowing shape that allowed it to be open to its surroundings.

In doing this, Hariri was able to make the Bahá'í Temple of South America truly inclusive, and therefore conducive to a community-minded spirit. With his talk on sacred spaces, Hariri demonstrates how vital architecture really is when it comes to facilitating faith, as well as how it can positively impact entire communities.