Church of Joy

Department of Architecture co. - Khet Khlong Toei, Thailand - 2023

Key words: Congregation, Covenant, Deuteronomy, Embracing, Facade, Light, Scripture, Symbolism

CRUCIFIX DETAIL - Photography: © SPACESHIFT STUDIO

The Church of Joy is conceived as an architectural expression of faith through light, symbolism, and scripture. Its design focuses on the facade and congregation hall, each developed as a layered spiritual narrative. The façade, defined by precast pleats, recalls a sacred curtain separating humanity from the divine, while serving as a canvas for the Covenant Cross. Crafted from dichroic acrylic, the cross refracts sunlight into shifting hues, abstractly revealing the silhouette of Jesus. This interplay of colour animates the building with biblical resonance, further reinforced at night when lighting transforms the cross into a radiant beacon, embodying Matthew 5:14-15’s vision of the church as a “light of the world.”

Inside, the congregation hall extends this dialogue between material and meaning. Straw-fibre acoustic walls reference the humility of Christ’s birth, while the Embracing Cross, composed of crystal prism tubes, radiates both sunlight and artificial light, symbolising God’s unconditional welcome as described in Deuteronomy 33:27. The luminous cross is complemented by fabric waves and strip lights, creating a spatial metaphor for Christ’s teachings extending into the lives of worshippers.

Critically, the project risks over-reliance on literal symbolism, yet it succeeds in fusing art, scripture, and architecture into a sensorially rich and spiritually resonant environment.