Pratt House: the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life and Contemplative Practices

L.E.FT Architects

Short description

Introduction: The workshops conducted between the diverse theological participants were dynamic yet respectful, and formulated new interpretations of sacrality, spirituality, and iconography. A “spiritual map” of the campus was produced, capturing students’ existing religious spaces. The program was designed to complement the map rather than duplicate them. Approach: The project fundamentally transformed the house's existing spaces, with minimum alterations. The primary strategy was one of un-doing. Interior elements were reconfigured to achieve the new spatial goals. Removing the second-floor ceiling for example allows the new shared prayer hall a generous height, integrating the historic pitched roof and exposing its wooden rafters. A new skylight provides natural ventilation and light. During disassembly, structurally superfluous wood beams were reused to support the roof ridge. Interior: Hybrid built-in components were designed to serve the liturgical needs of the multireligious community. One such piece is a Kosher kitchen that double function as Halal kitchen. Another is a multi-denominational, multi-directional prayer carpet whose geometry adapts to the diverse liturgical orientations (Makkah, Jerusalem, etc.) and to varied forms of assembly (linear, circular, squatting, etc.). Stepping into the prayer hall, one can identify and be guided by a certain form—for example, a circle for bible study or halaqa—or directionality. Millwork: The built-ins include the first ADA-compliant ablution basin in the US—a typology absent from ADA “secular” codes. A flexible table system supports the varied communal feasts: from a large, square surface for food preparation to an extra-long Iftar dining table. Landscape: A desire for material and spatial economy of the interior was extended to the exterior landscape. Vassar College’s building activities and material wastes were mapped, and excess materials—from brick to bluestone— were identified and upcycled to construct a processional meditation labyrinth on the center grounds. Conclusion: The overall architectural resolution is hybrid. Taking inspiration from the long tradition of reuse found in historical religious architecture, it transforms Pratt House’s structure into a layered condition of interwoven spaces and religious practices. The design also rearticulates traditional spatial practices in a contemporary language, meeting the needs of an ever-shifting socio-religious landscape.