by Shawn Burke

"Even a brick, wants to be something. It aspires. Even a common, ordinary brick wants to be something more than it is… better than it is. 

That is what we must be." ~ Louis Kahn

Bricks, metal, glass, wooden beams, concrete; elements existing alone in their basic form do not inspire. They are mere elements. But put them in the hands of an inspired creator, or designer and they can become amazing works of art or architecture. They can be made into something that fulfills a basic need, such as a home or shelter. But could they be combined and presented in such a way that they inspire creativity or evoke emotions, quite possibly even be considered to be sacred or holy?

Historical Architecture

The majestic Notre Dame Cathedral began with a single brick, the cornerstone, laid by Pope Alexander III in 1163. Construction on the beautiful cathedral continued over the next two centuries until its completion in 1345. Many hands and craftsmen collaborated to create the beautiful cathedral we see today. Touted as one of the most significant examples of French-Gothic architecture, the cathedral  is considered sacred for many Catholics. Edward Berenson, a history professor specializing in French history at New York University, said Notre Dame is "one of the most sacred places, maybe the most sacred place, not only in France but in all of Catholicism.

Therefore this says the Lord God: 'Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.' ~ Isaiah 28:16

Another imposing piece of architecture sits hidden in a small valley just out of sight north of the Moselle River Valley in Western Germany. Burg Eltz began its long process of construction in the 9th century and continued until 1520 when completed. The significance of it being built in a hidden valley rather than on a hilltop was that most of the would-be conquerors invading the region over the years could not find it, therefore passed right by along a bustling trade route. Except for a few small skirmishes, Burg Eltz had never been attacked or damaged in battle. Many of the other castles in the area have been raided repeatedly, destroyed and rebuilt several times.  Furthermore, Burg Eltz has been owned by the Eltz family for over 800 years. 

Build Your House on the Rock

Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash. ~ Matthew 7:24-27 

So what makes a building great? Maybe the ability to stand the test of time? There are many examples of significant buildings around the world that have stood for thousands of years. Egypt has the Great Pyramids of Giza built over 4000 years ago. Greece has the ancient Parthenon and Temple of Neptune that are both more than 2500 years old. China has the Great Wall from 2000 years ago. Rome has the Pantheon and Colosseum from over 2000 years ago. Israel has the Temple Mount, although it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times, the Western Wall and several of the gates date back over 3000 years. 

Is it the building itself? Or is it the intricate details such as large Romanesque arches, Gothic spires, or beautifully sculpted Grecian columns and capitals? Is it perhaps the beautiful stained glass windows or the way the light enters and dances around the interior of the room? The handiwork of a skilled craftsman can surely enhance even the most basic structures to make them more aesthetically pleasing.

According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder, I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

~ 1 Corinthians 3:10-11

The Future of Architecture

Consider for a moment, a stack of blocks, or metal shipping containers. Many will only see it for what it is, a big, ugly, rusty, metal box. However, much like a brick, it too wants to be something more. They can be used as building blocks to create a very strong, rigid structure, much more resistant to the wind and elements than wood. When combined with an artist or architect’s imagination and inspiration, it can become something amazing, something both utilitarian and inspiring. 

From a simple metal cube, arranged with others of various sizes to create a space, big or small- a space to live and relax, a place to rest and enjoy time with family. A place of beauty, light, and creativity. A place that fulfills both a basic function of providing shelter and innovation that creates something beautiful out of an old rusty box. What would it look like? It would depend on the way we stack and assemble them. The options are only as limited as our imagination! 

Many architects and designers are becoming more creative in looking for more sustainable, efficient or recyclable materials to use in construction. Shipping containers have been reused in many commercial buildings, restaurants, storage facilities and more recently are being converted into residential buildings.  Not only does it make sense for our environment, but can have significant financial benefits as well. The costs of building a home out of shipping containers can be three times cheaper than building a traditional timber frame home and five times cheaper than a traditional steel frame home. In addition, the carbon footprint is much smaller as you are reusing/recycling rather than requiring more raw materials and resources such as lumber and steel production. Many can be easily set up to accommodate solar power and off the grid living as well. 

Explore the possibilities beyond our imagination to see what we can create. A few links on innovative container home designs are listed below. 

https://www.whitakerstudio.co.uk

https://www.livinginacontainer.com/amagansett-modular-made-from-six-shipping-containers-usa/

The Original Designer

I took the photo below when I visited Nicosia, Cyprus, in the Mediterranean Sea back in 2010. I was intrigued by how the shadow of the stairwell created a loop design that looked like the basic building blocks of life, deoxyribonucleic acid, better known as DNA. I was amazed to see something God designed with his very hands mimicked in something man had built. Why should I be surprised considering we were all created in his image?  

While the basic DNA building blocks may look similar in appearance, it contains within it exceptional coding that ultimately determines our appearance: the color and shape of our eyes, our skin tones, our hair color, and texture, whether we are tall or short in stature. We are all similar in design, however still very unique. Psalm 119:73 says “your hands made me and formed me”, and Psalm 139:14 states that and “we are fearfully and wonderfully made”. 

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. ~ Psalm 139:14

Genesis chapter one describes in great detail how God created the world and all that we see. It details how he formed the stars and the cosmos, the mountains, and the seas, the animals and trees- then he came to his masterpiece; He created man and woman in his image. Some translations use the word in his likeness. We not only look like him, but we are very much like him in more ways than our appearance, but in our creativity and imagination as well. When he created everything prior to humans, he stated: “it was good.” After he had created Adam and Eve, he said: “it was very good.”

As we lean into what God has created us for and called us to, let us do so with great imagination and creativity. Let us not limit ourselves by mere circumstances or by what we can see. Let the original Creator inspire us and give us the vision to create as he did. Let’s challenge ourselves to go beyond the brick and aspire to be all he created us to become.

Resources

We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.

The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.

And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.

Read. Engage. Enjoy!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Depending on how a gem is held, light refracts differently. At B+PC we engage in Pop Culture topics to see ideas from a new angle, to bring us to a deeper understanding. And like Pastor Shane Willard notes, we want “…Jesus to get bigger, the cross to get clearer, the Resurrection to be central…” Instead of approaching a topic from “I don’t want to be wrong,“ we strive for the alternative “I want to expand my perspective.” 

So, we invite you to engage with us here. What piqued your curiosity to dig deeper? What line inspired you to action? What idea made you ask, “Hmmm?” Let’s join with our community to wrestle with our thoughts in love in the Comment Section! See you there!