Buildings designed to provide abundant daylight can benefit occupants in numerous ways depending on the application (e.g. improved learning environments in schools; faster recovery in healthcare facilities; greater office productivity, etc.)
Churches and other sanctuary spaces pose another beneficial dimension to daylighting strategies, particularly in terms of creating a spiritually conducive environment. Where and how one positions and controls windows, skylights and other sources of natural light in churches has enormous sway over the effectiveness of creating such environments.
John E. Freshnock of WSKF Architects and author of the Church Architect blog talks about his experience with daylighting places of worship:
When I design a sanctuary space the effort is grounded in the principles of day-lighting. Sustainability comes into play but the work of designing with light is about much more. Like no other space a church sanctuary needs light but not just any light. The goal is to create a singular atmosphere that distances one from daily life’s familiar pace and rhythm to open the mind to a transcendent experience. The distancing is the part that is the most challenging especially when the sanctuary is also a gym or a fellowship hall, or has a need for AV screens. How do you bring a worshiper out of their normal mind and into a transcendent mind ready to experience God’s revelation?
We’ve seen the impact first hand in places like the Immanuel Bible Church, which installed SageGlass in the clerestory windows of its newly expanded church. Optimizing daylight in buildings benefits not just the biology of people, but their consciousness as well.
