WEAVA Architects have a clear concept derived from the dove of peace, a strong and early Christian symbol that is still relevant and universally noted. The dove is not only inspiration for the form and façade, but also for the organization, circulation, and general aspirations WEAVA and the clients have for this building.
One of the main aspirations for the building is to serve as a landmark for the city, thus it is a representation of the city’s people. Accessibility is key. The form is curved. Visually, the curved façade unlike an orthogonal one allows views from all sides that invite the eye to go around. Physically, the surrounding park makes accessibility open-ended and possible from anywhere, giving pedestrians full freedom in approach. The Dove’s bowed walls are meant to be embracive. The surrounding landscape is meant to nestle the Dove, furthering the idea of an embrace.
Courtesy of WEAVA Architects
The building is nested in the ground, but the building also projects onto the ground and towards the sky. The clearest projection is that of the cross seeming to protrude from the ground itself, extending the earth upward and reaching for the cosmos. This way, the cross is meant as a visual way finding tool, a way to help orient oneself from within the city. Being a congregational space of social importance, it is also meant to be a landmark for the city.
The other projection happens onto the ground, extending from and celebrating the entrance, but also marking the main axis of the building, that marks the two main volumes, the ‘body’ and ‘wing.’ It is also the vertical axis of the building, where stairways are situated.
Given the city center it aspires to be, it not only serves as a house of God but also houses other functions, linking the earthly with the celestial. Many churches seek to lift the person’s experience closer to the cosmos, but Dove of Peace seeks to lift a people’s experience.
This is shown in the way the building extends from the earth, but also from how people-oriented the design is, and how it houses other functions like: library, media room, training room, multiple office spaces, a restaurant, and a shop. As opposed to focusing on a single person’s experience it accommodates for different uses and users.
Courtesy of WEAVA Architects
Courtesy of WEAVA Architects