Interfaith Spiritual Center, Northeastern University

Monica Ponce de Leon once
 taught at this “place in which
anyone can be reverent”.







 Bringing people together under one roof for prayer, reflection and constructive dialogue, the design for this unique installation provides for the specific requirements of distinctive religious faiths while simultaneously
maintaining neutrality so as not to bias any spirituality, faith or iconography.
Unusually for a community project, Office dA took the needs of each religious group into account when designing this flexible space which differs from other university halls of prayer which are conceived as “neutral”, tending not to accommodate the specific needs of a broad range of religious faiths.
Organised on an east-west axis, the space is capped with three suspended domes making orientations
towards the east, west and centre possible.
Movable seating and carpets can be organised in a variety of arrangements to reinforce the lighting schemes for the various events taking place within the space.
To that end, the design provides the Center with two antechambers that function as mediators and collector spaces for the various user groups.
The antechamber to the east functions as a Blue Room meeting space and small library containing extensive storage units for religious and ceremonial artefacts.
The antechamber to the west houses a foot-wash Ablution/Private Prayer Area offering worshippers a
private contemplation space as well as a facility to perform ritual ablutions with storage for shoes and carpets.
Nestled between the antechambers, the Main Hall serves as a 120-person Sacred Space where groups come together for everyday events, ceremonies or for a variety of formal functions.
This Hall is clad in glass illuminated from behind to create a special ambience for services. Multiple lighting settings allow the creation of different characteristics for the space, depending on the nature of the event.