Faith in Place is an organization that gives religious people the tools to become good stewards of the earth and at the same time partners with religious congregations to promote clean energy & sustainable farming. Since 1999, it has partnered with over 600 congregations in Illinois—Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Zoroastrian, Baha’i and Unitarian. Its mission is to help people of faith understand that issues of ecology and economy—of care for Creation—are at the forefront of social justice.

In April of last year, they managed and sponsored ‘The Building: Problem or Solution?’ competition, an ideas competition aimed at creating new ideas in the design of religious buildings and greater creativity in the re-use and modification of existing structures.  The competition sought entries that would both integrate with the broader community and serve it; have eco-friendly and sustainable features; and be buildable, among other criteria.

"Our goal with the competition has been to develop ideas that will help congregations considering significant remodeling or new construction,” said Rev. Dr. Clare Butterfield, executive director of Faith in Place. “Ultimately, we want to see the religious building transformed from a burden to congregations to a vehicle for solving the many problems religious bodies address as part of their missions – from social services to education to civic engagement and more. Enabling these buildings to be used fully every day was key."

Twenty-six architecture firms, representing 11 states and six countries, submitted entries. There were three first-place winners, each receiving $5,000, and three honorable mentions.

The first place winner was the “Mosque For All’ for Best Multi-Use Building, designed by the Albanian Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), which features a new mosque in Scanderbeg Square as well as an Islamic Centre, and a Museum of Religious Harmony as a way to encourage religious tolerance and understanding. The inside-out, mostly outdoor and shaded mosque is planned so that services are inclusive and inviting.

“Green Mosque”, which incorporated traditional architectural elements in a modern urban context, featuring several sustainable elements won second place with the Best Freestanding Religious Structure, designed by Onat Oktem, Ziya Imren, Zeynep Oktem, and Uri Tzarnotzky from Pasadena, California. The mosque complex, composed of the main mosque building, a library, education and lecture halls, accompanied with a "soup kitchen", strengthens the idea of getting together and socializing as a community, with social and cultural activities.

Third place winner was Tim Bacheller, a student at Illinois Institute of Technology, who designed “A House of Worship” and won Best Multi-Congregation Design. To reinforce the integration of congregation and community, this organized structure supports free plan universal space. The same structure also supports housing and community gardens. In this manner, the congregation literally supports the community.

Image credit: Faithinplace.org

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