Saint Sava's Church
Religion and architecture / mentor: Gordana Milosevic-Jevtic / University of Belgrade / 2015 project participants: M. Dukic, J. Zoric
The idea of the project was to simplify volumetry of an Orthodox church and achieve as much functional and symbolical demands with minimal elements. The key formal element is a parabola, which symbolically represents striving towards the sky and, while the base plan is a cross, the geometry is formed throughout intersection of two parabolic arches over the cross. In addition, the cross plan provides a traditional spatial organization with narthex in the West, a nave in the center, a altar in the East, and vestibules on both North and South sides. Dome, a traditional element of an Orthodox church, and a representer of a heavenly kingdom, is substituted with circular openings that dissipate light making the illusion of under dome space. The Church does not tempt to express ecclesiastical architecture in a traditional way but explores new ways of its interpretation with a contemporary designed elements.