The sacred space in the globalized society: between the concept and identity

First Panel Discussion

Abstract

It can be seen that today, with this change of the world, with globalization, that religions have become a phenomenon, a mode of identity. And if we ask ourselves what the answers should be in terms of "identity" in terms of architecture, it is because I think we all agree that architecture should promote an identity. The problem is: what identity? I think that today speakers have been at this table holding very distant positions. And this can fuel a debate between several positions.

Obviously, there is no talk here about looking for a certain quality of architecture, but an identity in architecture. We know there is a serious problem. In Italy a certain controversy has lately been opened because Bishop Gianfranco Ravasi, who is the president of the Vatican's Commission for Culture, questioned the state of sacred architecture in Italy, has said that the churches are all churches-garage, churches-parking. This we know is a problem. All of us here know well that statistically the quality of religious architecture is a problem.