Last Wednesday, Andrew Shearman hosted part four of Urban Sanctuaries’ sixth annual Earth Stewardship Talks. Shearman, a student in the College of Art and Architecture, had the opportunity to showcase his time abroad and share how the art and architecture in the different cities integrated with his learning experience.
Shearman traveled to Japan for a week, Malaysia for 20 days, Singapore for 10 days and Italy for 10 days to observe different urban sanctuaries. Shearman defined an urban sanctuary as a place within a bustling city where people can experience relief, relaxation and comfort. These areas provide a moment away from the stress, noise and fast pace of urban life. He placed urban sanctuaries into two categories: sacred spaces and natural spaces. Shearman also shared his most memorable moments abroad.
Sacred places were then split into three aspects: their exterior space, different thresholds and inner spaces.
He explored several exterior spaces in Japan, Rome and mosques in Malaysia. The exterior architecture of sacred spaces either attracts or pushes people away. Shearman said how St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome pulled people in because of the street’s straight access to the church.
“Rome and Japan were the two countries, from my experience, I feel integrated how churches, mosques and their sacred spaces work with the surrounding context and seamlessly fit into place,” Sherman said.
He told how different cities require different ceremonial thresholds or certain rituals you perform before entering a sacred space. In Japan you might bow at temples before entering. Additional thresholds in other cities may require a dress code to enter, particularly mosques.
Wrapping up sacred spaces, Shearman talked about inner spaces that included atriums and utilized ornamentation, art, lighting, and other architectural elements to inspire peace.
“I was always struck by the ornamentation art when I walked in and by the care that they had for these spaces,” Shearman said.
The second part of Shearman’s presentation focused on natural spaces in urban contexts. He analyzed the use of parks, water and plants incorporated into urban sanctuaries. The most notable parks he visited were Penang Hill in Malaysia, a garden in Italy that provided an escape from touristy Rome, and a park in Singapore that had a light show at night.
Plants were integrated into buildings to offer exposure to nature while inside. Shearman was most impressed with CapitaSpring in Singapore, a modern office complex filled with green walkways open to the public.
Water also plays a role in creating a soothing getaway in busy cities, according to Shearman. Many fountains were placed throughout the city of Rome. Shearman said the water cancelled noise around you so you could enjoy your lunch in peace. Additionally, some fountains were also drinkable, keeping the public hydrated.
Lastly, Shearman touched on moments he found most memorable during his travels. The first image he showed was a train station in Japan that had a built-in art installation with luscious plants covering the top. It was a place where people would hang out. Shearman said it was a cool moment for him, so he spent a bit of his time there.
There were also no complaints about the food in eastern Asia and Shearman even mentioned how areas with more food showed a livelier community, outside of urban sanctuaries. In Malaysia, he visited a world food festival and tried different foods from around the globe.
“It wouldn’t have been such an incredible trip without the people I shared it with,” Shearman said.
Alyssa Johnson can be reached at [email protected]