Materiality and Construction of a Church in Myanmar
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Theses from the M. Arch. Program Architecture, College of Spring 5-3-2021 Materiality and Construction of a Church in Myanmar Sunkist Judson University of Nebraska-Lincoln Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/marchthesis Part of the Architecture Commons Judson, Sunkist, "Materiality and Construction of a Church in Myanmar" (2021). Theses from the M. Arch. Program. 31. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/marchthesis/31 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Architecture, College of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses from the M. Arch. Program by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Materiality and Construction of a Church in Myanmar By: Sunkist Judson A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FUL- FILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE Master of Architecture APPROVED, THESIS COMMITTEE: Sign and Date Dr. Sharon Kuska Materiality and Construction of a Church in Myanmar Sunkist Judson April 29th, 2021 ARCH 544 Thesis Spring 2021 01 02 Abstract This is my investigation related to Theinla village church. This is an investigation of architectural impacts on a protestant religious house of worship experience through a cultural case study. Churches were built and design based on worship culture and traditions. Churches have evolved for over two thousand years due to innovation and technology and imitating previous architecture styles. The way people worship in protestant religion is a little different in every culture. I would like to find out if there is any overlap in Baptist churches in different cultures. Does material limit the manner in which the church is constructed, and the utilization of the spaces within? Does material affect the religious experience? NOTE: This Thesis is being written from the first-person point of view. 03 Table of Contents The Influence of Religion in Architecture 05 Vegetation 45 Location 06 Visualization 46 Climate 07 Details 58 Religious Architecture 09 Weathering 59 History of Church Design 11 Conclution 61 Church Design 13 Sources 63 Systems and Materials 15 Materials and Construction Methods Comparison Table 49 Historic Precedents 21 Modern Precedents 23 Religious Structures 25 Surrounding Regions 27 Passive Airflow 29 Uses of Brick 33 Bricks Production 34 Program Diagrams 36 Physical Models 38 04 The Influence of Religion in Architecture I would like to investigate how religion has American architecture and preserving the influenced Myanmar, (also known as Burma) traditional knowledge of building in Myanmar. architecture. Burma was changed to Myanmar in 1989 during the ruling military junta.1 Myanmar is predominantly Buddhist. One might consider Bagan pagodas and other temples as the architectural identity of Myanmar. One of the first missionaries who brought Christianity to Myanmar was an American Baptist missionary, Adoniram Judson from Boston, Massachusetts. After learning the Burmese language, Mr. Judson translated the Bible from English to Burmese. On June 27, Figure: 1.0 1819, Mr. Judson baptized the first Burman A New Church Under Construction in Thit Kaung believer, Moung Nau and then Mr. Judson Village, Karen State, Myanmar along with many other ministers established 2 This topic is meaningful to the people many Baptist churches in Burma. I want to and I because I went back to Theinla pay attribute to the ministers from the past village in Myanmar in December of 2019. and combine two cultures to create a unique I saw that people were worshiping in a church building that serves a purpose as a religious where it was not very comfortable to worship. structure at the same time different from It was hot and the condition of the church Buddhist temples. Many colonial buildings was inadequate. They had to rely on natural were built when the British were occupying ventilation and fans to keep the church cool Burma. They introduced western building even in winter. The roof of the church is made designs that are still standing to this day. with corrugated sheets, thus making the church very hot during daytime and noisy during raining I would like to investigate further how the season. There is a problem with condensation architecture of American protestant churches in the morning and heat during daytime. could overlap with the Burmese protestant It was hot and the condition of the church churches. If they do, then what are the similarities was inadequate. They had to rely on natural and differences in the culture of worshiping and ventilation and fans to keep the church cool the style of the church. I want to find out how even in winter. The roof of the church is made culture influences the design in churches and with corrugated sheets, thus making the church why they are different or similar. By combining very hot during daytime and noisy during raining the new technique of American design with season. There is a problem with condensation Burmese design, I am hoping to introduce in the morning and heat during daytime. 05 Location Myanmar Site Myanmar is located in Southeast Theinla village is in Irrawaddy Division in Asia, 15 degrees north of the equator. Myanmar. It is in the west of Yangon City, It is situated in the south of China, East approximately five-hours away with cars. of India, and west of Thailand. Myanmar The village is built on a hill. Although some has seven divisions and seven States. parts of the village have a significant change Irrawaddy Division, also called Ayeyarwady, in topography elevation, the site is in a flat is the focus of this thesis research paper. part of the village. The changes in the slope Irrawaddy is located on southern Myanmar are about one foot based on data gathered at Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. from Google Earth. The church wants to demolish the old church that was no longer usable and build a new one. The church is surrounded by various native trees and bamboo trees. There is a river at the base of the hill so it can be reached by boats and cars. Figure: 1.2 Myanmar Divisions and States Figure: 1.1 Myanmar Map Figure: 1.4 Theinla Village Figure: 1.3 Irrawaddy Division 06 Climate Most of Myanmar’s weather is tropical 1.“Who, What, Why: Should It Be Burma or monsoon climate with three seasons: summer, Myanmar?” BBC News. BBC, December 2, rainy, and winter. Summer is very hot and 2011. dry in the Delta region. April is the sunniest month with averaging sun hours over 300 2. Barlow, Fred. “Adoniram Judson: Father of 3 hours. There is a water shortage during the Baptist Missionaries.” Adoniram Judson - Mis- summer because it is hot and dry. Summer sionary Biographies - Worldwide Missions. lasted from mid-February to mid-May.4 It is also called inter-monsoonal season. The 3. “Climate and Average Monthly Weather in average low temperature is 72 degrees, and the average high temperature is 95 degrees.5 Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma).” Ac- cessed October 20, 2020. June to October is monsoon season, with high rainfall. The southwest monsoon season 4. “Climate.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Ency- brought rain from mid-May to late October. It clopædia Britannica, inc. Accessed October 20, rains almost every day in raining season. The 2020. annual average precipitation is 129 days.5 The delta region receives about 100 inches of rain 5. “Climate - Burma.” Burma climate: average annually. The average temperature ranges 6 weather, temperature, precipitation, best time. from 75 degrees to 87 degrees Fahrenheit. Accessed October 20, 2020. The winter season is from late October to mid-February and it is cool and dry. It is also 6.“Myanmar (Burma) Climate and Weather.” Go called northeast monsoon season.5 Winter Myanmar. Accessed October 20, 2020. is cool but the temperature ranges from 68 degrees to 89 degrees. The average sun hour is about 11.5 hours during winter months.6 07 08 Religious Architecture Christian Church Buddhist Pagoda Hindu Temple Islam Mosque Jewish Synagogue Pagoda 09 Sacred Symbolisms When Burmese go to a temple to pray, they remove their shoes or sandals to keep their sacred space clean. Women have to wear their traditional longyi or clothing. Women cannot wear skirts, or shorts, or long pants when they go to pray. They have to wear a garment that covers their legs until the ankles. Men can wear long pants but shorts are also prohibited at the Pagoda. Often Buddhists would burn incense, sweep the pagoda, and bathe their deities to clean it. Likewise, when Christians go to church, everyone must remove their shoes before stepping into a sanctuary. The worship space is the main sanctuary. All other spaces such as offices, restrooms, Sunday school, dining areas are built around the church. A symbol is a representation of a visible or an invisible idea. Different religious buildings have different symbols. In churches, the tall pointy spire reaches to heaven while a dome represents perfection, eternity, and heaven. The Star of David is significant in Judaism. It represents Judaism and Jewish people. The star is also a reference to King David. The pagodas are a representation of sacred mountains that usually house Buddhist deities inside. Hindu temples were built to bring the gods and people together. The temples were built for different deities depending on the region and belief. The minaret towers are used for the call to prayers. They also distinct a mosque from other architectural buildings. 10 History of Church Design According to the author Bret Wallach, in According to Emily Turner, due to material his article “European Architecture in Asia,” constraints and financial limitations, woods Asia quickly adopted European style such have become the medium for building as Renaissance, Neoclassical, Gothic, and churches.8 Wood became a popular material modern style during the colonial period.7 We when constructing churches in Europe.