ARCHITECTURAL CONNECTIONS LEADING TO COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
3/12/02

Mount Zion United Methodist Church has been a beacon to Central, South Carolina for close to a century. In this upstate community townspeople and church members alike need a place to reflect, meditate, pray, or quietly relax.

Beside the church exists a historic school building. This building is currently under renovation to become medium value loft apartments. A clear architectural connection exists between the church and the historic school. Most evident is the relation of close size to one another. Both buildings present themselves with grand entrances due to large Doric columns. Another less noticeable link is the similar building footprint. Also, a large set of double doors on the side of the school line up on a perfect axis with a set of double doors on the church.

The buildings each have their own identity dealing with construction and materials. However, the connection between the two is so strong that the space between must not be ignored. It should be a means to connect the church to the townspeople, while providing an individual and sacred space for Mt. Zion, and an outdoor gathering space for apartment dwellers.

The initial intent is to still provide a space that is unique to each institution. The apartments will have their space and the church will have its space. There can be the sharing of the spaces. People are encouraged to enter along a central easement, and from there they can enter a courtyard to the apartments, or the outdoor sacred space of the church. The design allows people to reflect both in the apartment courtyard, and reflect on a more spiritual level in the sacred garden of the church. Both are quite spaces, designed for reverence and peace.

Questions and concerns are now presented dealing with the properties of the church and the school. Where exactly is the property line, and how would a shared space work? By sharing the space, the church and school can share the cost, saving both institutions money. With legal help both parties can reach terms and agreements for the space, and the property line may remain or be moved upon agreement.

What else makes this space work; what are its benefits? The area is close to the street. This provides added security by both vehicular traffic and townspeople with keen eyes. Also, renters from the school apartments provide a twenty-four hour security service to the site. If some pranksters sneak in to cause trouble, the renters are right on top of them. From a design perspective, there is "garden house" in the same architecture of the church. In the proposed design this building (approximately 6' wide by 8' tall) is an anchoring feature.

The "garden house" has been duplicated so it creates a formal and elegant entrance into the main corridor of the site. From here a person may simply walk straight through the site bypassing paths to both the church's garden and the apartment's courtyard. Those who choose to enter the Mount Zion garden will find a sacred and comforting location.

In the garden many paths both formal and natural carry a person through a series of rooms. There are three main "outdoor" rooms. These are defined on each corner by a column. The columns are eight feet tall designed for peaceful enclosure. There are twelve columns in all. Two of these rooms have a similar circular paving pattern, but the final room has a circular pool. In the pool is a graceful stone from witch water flows. Visitors can reach out and touch it!

The twelve columns and the three rooms are symbolic from a design perspective. The twelve columns represent the twelve tribes of Israel, and the three rooms represent the Trinity. The user of the space may see other symbols based on their own personal association. Bible verses, or the names of loved ones could be engraved on the columns. The intent was to design a sacred space. The paths, the inscriptions, and the use of water intertwine budding this sacred space. The columns and the rooms develop enclosure, giving a sense of space.

The structured elements in the design mesh with the plantings. The space truly becomes a garden. There is color, smell, and texture. The senses are awakened, hopefully aiding a person to reach deep inside and be able to truly reflect. Look down the series of columns and see azaleas gracefully reach into the corridor. There is also seasonal interest, such as the saucer magnolias whose late February blooms play off the stone craftsmanship of the church. These are only a few examples.

The garden is sustainable, designed to survive and thrive for generations to come. The tight nit of planted areas absorb, retain, and return water preventing runoff. A vast majority of the plants are native and tolerant to southeastern climate conditions. This garden is built strong, like the church!

Every element of the design comes together to create dynamic spaces with many rooms and ways to move through or around them. Places to sit and reflect devote time needed for this space to be sacred to its user. With the connection of the school and the church this site can be transformed into a wonderful sacred space for both the townspeople and the church members.