Historic Architecture Assignment
Memorial Presbyterian Church 1889
1) Neutral colors with one green focal point
2) Lots of high points
3)lots of texture patterns
History:
Was established in 1824 as the city’s first Presbyterian congregation. The original church building was constructed in the 1830s but was destroyed during the Civil War in 1864. In 1889, the current Romanesque Revival-style church was built as a memorial to Confederate soldiers who died during the war. Known for its stunning architecture and beautiful stained glass windows, the church remains an important religious and historical landmark in St. Augustine, serving as a place of worship in the community.
Lightner Museum 1948
Visual Details:
1) Lots of red
2) two high point that are focal points
3) Round windows and arch ways
History:
was originally the Alcazar Hotel, built by Henry Flagler in 1888. After the hotel closed, Otto Lightner purchased the building in 1946 and transformed it into a museum to display his collection of art and antiques. The museum opened in 1948 and remains a major attraction, showcasing fine and decorative arts in the historic building.
Trinity Parish Episcopal Church 1821
St. Benedict the Moor Church 1911
In designing the first sculpture, I focused on creating a sense of warmth and approachability, drawing inspiration from small chapels and cozy homes. The symmetrical layout, with twin windows flanking the central entrance, establishes balance and invites viewers in. I added details like the scalloped awning and layered wreath motif to soften the structure’s geometry and evoke a welcoming atmosphere. The gently sloped roof and modest chimney suggest a humble yet comforting space, while the hand-crafted texture emphasizes the tactile nature of paper as a medium. My design choices here were meant to blend the sacred with the familiar, creating a structure that feels both spiritual and homelike.
With the second sculpture, I aimed for a more dramatic and monumental expression of architectural form. The towering spire immediately draws the eye upward, emphasizing verticality and suggesting a spiritual ascent. I chose to incorporate bold black stripes along the tower to create a strong contrast and rhythm, giving the structure a sense of gravity and presence. The sharply peaked roof and arched doorway reference historical church towers, but the stylized patterning and clean lines give it a contemporary edge. The elongated length and narrow width enhance the tower's dominance, while the repetition of window shapes along the sides ties the form together. Through these design decisions, I wanted to convey a sense of reverence and solemnity, while still embracing the playful and textural possibilities of paper sculpture.
In designing these two paper sculptures, I made deliberate choices to explore contrasting architectural themes while maintaining a cohesive handmade aesthetic. The first structure, with its quaint, scalloped awning, and symmetrical windows, evokes the charm of a small chapel or cottage. I emphasized warmth and familiarity through soft lines and layered details, such as the textured wreath above the entrance and the cozy proportions of the front porch. In contrast, the second sculpture adopts a bolder, more dramatic presence, marked by its towering spire and striking vertical black stripes. This design decision heightens the sense of grandeur and formality, transforming the structure into a symbolic place of gathering or reverence, reminiscent medieval church towers. The contrast between the elongated height, the linear patterns, and the sharp roof textures creates a dynamic tension, while both sculptures share a unifying paper medium and attention to texture and rhythm. Through these design elements, I aimed to capture both the intimacy and monumentality found in sacred architecture.
