Upholding religious culture with stone

摘要

Staying true to the architecture and religious symbolism of temples in India ranked high in priority when designing the new Jain Center of America in Elmhurst, NY. And one key component of the temple design was using natural stone from India to develop a center with a welcoming and respectful environment where members can gather together and worship. "The design goal for this project was to create a beautiful and lasting religious and community facility, which utilized traditional design elements from Indian religious structures," said Project Architect Rashmi Sen of Sen Architects llp of New York, NY. "Most temples in India have a towering spire or 'shikhar' above the area where the deities are kept. These spires are often covered with elaborate stone carvings. This symbolic element is the main feature of the exterior of the building. Additionally, there are smaller internal spires above the sanctuary areas of the temples. Other traditional elements include the use of wall niches for deities, carved stone screens and statuary."