European Prize of Sacred Architecture 2015 - First Prize;
Distinction in Concrete Architecture 2012
The subject of the thesis is to develop a project of a Catholic Seminary intended to a first
and second years students – the period thereinafter called propaedeutic. The building
is planned as part of the Archdiocesan Seminary in Lublin.
The plot of the investment is located near the Lublin city, on the shoreline of Zemborzycki
Lake. It is the part of large, oak-pine Dabrowa Forest. The study includes building design
and plan of immediate surroundings.
Seminary connects interesting design subjects. In this type of building combines spiritual,
daily life and education functions. Chapel – sacrum, works next to residential part, refectory
(canteen), libraries and lecture halls. A multitude and infiltration of topics allows to inspiring
shaping of form and it’s challenge for designer – to skillfully connect every functional
element of Seminary.
The number of vocations goes down year after year, which may be one of the reasons
of lower confidence to Catholic Church. This situation results a loss of interest in joining the
clergy. It may be due to bad preparation of candidates and their wrong selection.
The project of seminary in Lublin for first and second year students – future priests –
is an attempt of isolate the preparatory period (propaedeutic) from whole course of study
(six years). The aim is to check the suitability of the candidates to be a priest.
Seminary – propaedeutic period – is an educational function. It’s an offer addressed
to candidates to the priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church. The designed building
is intended for about sixty candidates, professors and potential guests. Building combines
functions necessary for everyday life and education of future priests. It serves as a place
for living - living area, a place of prayer - the chapel, education - the library, classrooms,
and lecture hall. Whole object is an integrated residential – educational complex, fully used
by students and cater for all needs without need to leave the Seminary.
"Seminary - propaedeutic period" is a specific function that has to comply with many needs
of young person, who decided to become a priest. Apartment, faith, science, insulation,
recreation, entertainment, meeting, silence, focus, prayer - all must provide the seminary.
Designed building includes an idea of "the way" of a young candidate who wants to enter
into the spiritual realm, into the realm of transformation. During the whole period, his stay
in the seminar is accompanied by learning, knowledge, understanding and meeting God –
to meet God, you need to understand and acquire knowledge. The result and the end of the
road which needs to travel the seminarian (candidate for the priesthood) is complete
maturity, transformation and readiness for further education - a new existence, which
symbol is a tree at the water's surface. Proposed building has been modeled on example of
mentioned road and it has been divided into stages (zones), which are merged by mutual
visually - compositional axis and centrally situated chapel. Axis is accentuated by sequence
of wooden vertical beams, running through the whole complex. Concrete and wood in the
form of vertical divisions are the main theme in the shaping of the buildings facade. Wooden
elements irregularly placed on the building relate to forestry location of seminary.
Main entrance to the building is located in residential part (level +/- 0.00) and educational
part (level -3.65m). Both parts are connected by symbolic “mine of knowledge” – library
(reading room and book collection). Above the library is placed a chapel, which together
symbolize encounter with God and recognition Him.
The functional arrangement of the proposed building corresponds to seminarians day plan.
The chapel is located directly to the residential part, because every day begins with
Eucharist, than students and professors eat first meal – breakfast. For this purpose they
should go along the library, to refectory. Space reserved for eating meals is located
in educational part of complex, because after meal students are going to classes.
Future priests are spending their free time in their rooms and common space located
in residential part – where are a TV room, and table tennis room. Whole divided by mobile
walls, so students can organize space in any way they want.
In addition, there is an informatics room in education part and students can use it after
classes in fixed hours.
There is designed auditorium, which can accommodate all of the students and guests
(100 people). It is located next to the main entrance to the educational part. It’s preceded
by representational hall with cloakroom and stairs to the conference room.
“Seminary – propaedeutic period” is an innovative and quite brave object to the current
requirements of the ecclesiastical authorities in Poland. Designed building is a function
introduced in Archdiocesan Seminary in Lublin on the example of Major Seminary John Paul
II Diocese of Siedlce. It is the result of reflection on the state of the Polish Catholic Church.
Propaedeutic period aims at a rigorous selection of candidates for the priests and putting
them in the philosophical aspects of the priesthood. This is the right time to decide about
continuation studying in seminary.
Location in an isolated part of Lublin and Zemborzycki Lake promotes thinking and deep
meditation about validity of choice undertaken by young men joining the seminary. The
proposed architecture is not distracting, it’s ascetic by natural and raw materials - concrete
and wood. The structure is equipped with all necessary elements needed for clerics
education and life, without having to leave it.
