In 2017 the leadership of Redemption Church challenged debartolo architects to design a space dedicated solely to prayer. It has been said that, “Prayer is bringing our helplessness to God.” For hundreds of years spaces and places have been specifically designed to foster one’s intimate communication with God.
In contrast to the machined, extraverted quality of the existing building in which the space resides, the prayer space is modest and reserved. The intention was to feel ‘made’, more than ‘manufactured’. To achieve this, common douglas fir 2×4’s were selected as the principal material for its raw presence, warmth, and economy, a single material that could function as floors, walls, ceiling, and benches. One ordinary material, with thousands of imperfections, made into something extraordinary when unified. Analogous to the church, each person is a unique expression of God, however when unified, the whole becomes more beautiful than the parts.
Prayer Space
Architect: debartolo architects
Owner: Redemption Church
Location: Gilbert, Arizona
Category: Up to $1.5 million in construction cost (category two)
Additional Information
General Contractor: The Construction Zone
