A study on the space composition designed by Stanisław Niemczyk in the context of evolving religiousness and spirituality

Abstract

The proposed paper explores whether the traditional religious space can meet the needs of individual religiousness. The primary hypothesis assumes that the appropriate sequence of urban interiors, spatial boundaries, and transition points can be conducive to religious feelings. The research concerns architectural projects of Stanisław Niemczyk which combine spatial complexity along with a common impression of the prevailing religious atmosphere. The applied graph-based method intentionally ignores the architecture of the temple and concentrates particularly on spatial aspects. At first, individual units of space are distinguished, so that connections between them can be examined. The use of geometric simplification of space makes it easier to investigate space complexity, which appears to be overlooked in both architectural and urban analyses. However, this aspect seems to be crucial in terms of space that is related to spirituality.