Reaction Paper
Description This assignment will ask students to write a reaction paper to the article “Emptiness and Empty Cross: Tadeo Ando’s Church of Light” regarding the role of culture and religion in architectural design and form.
Required Materials Baek, J. (2010). Emptiness and empty cross: Tadao Ando’s Church of Light. Center: Architecture & Design in America, 15, 1-15.
Additional (Optional) Materials Schittich, C., & Arima, K. (2012). A second look: Tadao Ando’s Church of Light in Ibaraki.
1. Read the Baek article. Collect information from it and produce a brief case about The Church of Light that includes the following:
a. Brief introduction about the building
b. Architectural characteristics/Elements and principals of design
c. Buildings’ function
d. Culture and people
2. For further research, read the article Schittich and Arima article.
e. While you may use this to supplement your understanding of the Baek article, your response below must be primarily to the Baek article.
3. Drawing from the information you have gathered, write a reaction paper to the Baek article to show in detail how culture and religion have played a significant role in the design and form of this building. Use research, analysis, and comparative strategies to add to the intention of the article.
4. Explain and incorporate at least ONE of the theories that the Baek article discusses (semiotic theory, phenomenology, and deconstruction), into your paper.
5. Expand the ideas discussed in the Baek article to create cross comparisons to nonChristian religious architecture.
f. How does the metaphor of emptiness in architecture translate to non-Christian religions?
g. Being aware of your chosen comparative religious buildings’ time period, give examples through comparison and contrast.
6. All research must be properly resourced with a reference page and APA citation and formatting rules followed. Your paper should be 10-12 pages in length.
7. Save it as a .doc or .docx file
