HOUSE
OF
ONE
house of the prayer and learning for all religions
Faiths, humanity and cultures are currently more segregated, while we live in a more globalized world than ever. De main cause is not understanding nor knowing other faiths and cultures. The segregation is stimulated by prejudices, the migrant crisis, dissemination and the magnification of all this in the media. Often the Islam and immigrants are associated with Jihadism, Christians are portrayed as old-fashioned and short-sighted on topics like euthanasia and abortion, and Judaism is seen as thief of the Promised Land by anti-Semitism. The mutual differences are emphasized but similarities are underexposed.
On the historical foundation of the Petri Church in Berlin, Christians, Muslims and Jews as well as different believers and non-believers, are united. House of One is accessible for everyone and stimulates mutual dialogues. Here everyone, religious or not religious, can interactively deepen their knowledge in faiths and cultures of one another. We hope House of One will increase respect and harmony and decrease prejudices.
Seeing different habits and prayers and designing with and for the three religions and their devotees was an informative and wonderful experience.
House of One is designed with a high degree of feasibility, building physics (acoustical, heat regulations and construction) and costs management by the requirements of a technical building engineering study of a University of Applied Sciences. For the thesis submission, details, fragments and flooring plans are made at a level of the environmental permit (omgevingsvergunning).
The interior of the synagogue is inspired by the LJG Synagogue in Amsterdam. The oak furniture brings geniality in a tranquil composition. The ner tamied shines the eternal light on the aron hakodesh, which is traditionally in line with the bima and the holy city of Jerusalem. The linear shaped roof light emphasizes the link of the bima and the aron hakodesh with the direction of Jerusalem.
The church breathes a modern tranquillity to keep the focus on the service while worshipping. All elements are bright. The walls are plastered white and the floors are finished with big cava tiles. Behind the elevation the wall is finished with oak to emphasize the location of preaching and improve acoustical quality. The contemporary designed ecclesiastical attributes, like the organ and the cross, cater to Berlin’s avant-gardist needs.
The qibla wall is finished with sand coloured three-dimensional geometric wall tiles. The other walls are same coloured plastered. The minbar and mihrab are geometrically decorated with dark blue mosaic, inspired by the Sheikh Lotfollah in Iran. The brown orange carpeting is provided with decorated lines to indicate the position where Muslims need to stand during the prayer.