Architecture and Faith

Architectural History

In this episode we discussed the connection between Architecture and Faith, by talking to three historians, writers and heritage professionals about new approaches to considering the history of buildings used by communities of faith. Religious architecture has always been central to architectural history, because human societies have always been inspired to build beautiful and high status buildings as part of their religious practices. However in this conversation we addressed new ways of talking about religious architecture: examining what they might have meant to the communities that built them, exploring the avenues for adaptation and retention of religious buildings in a changing society and talking about how marginalised communities have created spaces for religious worship.

Contributors:

William Whyte is Professor of Social and Architectural History at St John's College, Oxford, writing about the architectural and material history of education, faith and society and serves as the Chair of the Oxford Preservation Trust.

Shahed Saleem is a practicing architect and design studio leader at the University of Westminster School of Architecture. He is also a Senior Research Fellow at the Bartlett School of Architecture and wrote an architectural and social history of the British Mosque for Historic England.

Rachel Morley is Director of Friends of Friendless Churches, an independent and non-denominational charity which cares for more than 50 former places of worship around Britain.