Mary Our Queen Catholic Church in Norcross, Georgia needs a new building. Rather than build a modern box, they're moving a historic basilica all the way from Buffalo, New York, calling their strategy "preservation by relocation".
Architect Scott Doyon sees positives and negatives in the church's strategy.
"Conspicuous in the new plans is the apparent absence of a surrounding neighborhood. Thus, a structure that once stood as the spiritual heart of a physical community will now be repackaged as the idealized temple on a hill.
Not that I have anything against grandeur or symbolism. Each has their place. But the church suggests this rebirth will add centuries to the building's life. Assuming that's true, what are the ramifications when the building is embedded in a physical context that many believe has increasingly diminished prospects?"
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Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
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Chicago Transit Agencies on Brink of Major Crisis
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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