Resurgence Primarna funkcija: Crkva by Zehua Zhang

Resurgence Primarna funkcija: Crkva by Zehua Zhang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Brončana nagrada A' Design Award in Dizajn Arhitekture, Zgrada i Konstrukcija Competition Category.

BronzaArhitektura· 2026

Resurgence Primarna funkcija: Crkva

by Zehua Zhang

Client: Zehua Zhang

Brončana nagrada A' Design Award Winner in Arhitektura Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

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The Design

About Resurgence Primarna funkcija: Crkva

Book Text: Resurgence je nova crkva u Altadeni koja odgovara na potrebe obnove nakon šumskih požara. Dizajn se referira na okolne planine kroz vertikalne, vajarske forme. Beton, staklo i uređena unutrašnja dvorišta definiraju enterijerske prostore, unoseći dnevnu svjetlost i stvarajući mirna okruženja. Projekat kombinuje prostore za bogosluženje sa zajedničkim sadržajima, pružajući prostore kako za duhovnu praksu tako i za društvenu interakciju. Odražava lokalni kontekst dok istovremeno prilagođava raznolike aktivnosti zajednice.

The Recognition

About the Brončana nagrada A' Design Award

Resurgence Primarna funkcija: Crkva je pobjednik Brončane nagrade A' Design Award, visoko prestižnog priznanja koje se dodjeljuje izvanrednim dizajnima što se odlikuju kreativnošću, domišljatošću i oštroumnošću. Brončani pobjednici izdašno su vješti i upečatljivo kreativni artefakti koji potvrđuju golemo iskustvo, maštu i snalažljivost svojih dizajnera. Očekuje se da Resurgence Primarna funkcija: Crkva bude visoko cijenjen, voljen i njegovan predmet koji je izuzetno profesionalan i inovativan. Ovaj dizajn koji je osvojio Brončanu nagradu A' Design Award uključuje najbolje prakse u umjetnosti, nauci, dizajnu i tehnologiji i izvrstan je zbog pažnje posvećene detaljima. Resurgence Primarna funkcija: Crkva sjajno zadovoljava potrebe, dotiče želje, očarava osjećaje i privlači znatiželju.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Resurgence is a contemporary church in Altadena, conceived as a spiritual and cultural catalyst after the wildfire. Inspired by surrounding mountain ridges, its sculpted concrete form rises vertically toward light-filled skylights, expressing renewal. A skylight atrium and courtyard weave nature, light, and community together, uniting sacred worship and civic life in a resilient beacon of collective healing and hope.
Dimensions & Packaging: Single story building with overall dimensions of 45 meters in width, 45 meters in depth, and 18 meters in height.
Tags: Community renewal, cultural architecture, fluid form, concrete and light interplay, atrium with skylight, courtyard garden
Production Technology: Materiality and light shape the design. Concrete as the primary material, conveys weight and dignity while its smooth surfaces create a clean, harmonious space. A skylight courtyard and meditation garden establish a quiet dialogue between architecture and nature. Glass curtain walls guide daylight into the interior, forming a sacred, serene atmosphere. As light moves through the vertical spaces, it brings a continuous sense of ceremony and spiritual tension.
Design Challenge: The project faced the challenge of balancing spiritual, social, and cultural needs after wildfire loss. Internally, it required understanding Altadena’s history, community trauma, and collective memory. Externally, constraints included building codes, material limits, daylighting technology, and construction feasibility. Overcoming these involved iterative modeling, community feedback, and innovative use of concrete and glass to create a resilient, meaningful, and functional design.
Research: Type of Research: Applied architectural and social research. Objectives: Explore architecture’s role in post-wildfire community renewal. Methodology: Community engagement, iterative modeling. Tools: Site analysis, surveys, models, 3D simulations. Participants: Residents, church leaders, community groups. Results and Insights: Mountain-inspired forms, light, and open spaces foster spiritual and social connection. Impact: Strengthens cohesion, cultural life, and human-centered design practices.
Inspiration: The design was inspired by Altadena’s post-wildfire recovery and the site’s mountainous landscape. I studied topography, light behavior, and community rebuilding models to shape a form that abstracts surrounding ridges into a vertical, light-filled sanctuary. Research into trauma-informed spaces and passive daylighting informed the atrium, courtyard, and concrete massing, creating a resilient structure that fosters healing, unity, and spiritual renewal.
Project Duration: The project started in August 2025 and was completed in December 2025
Operation Flow: This project operates through spatial flow and light manipulation. Its atrium and skylights transform daylight into dynamic patterns, guiding movement and fostering contemplation. Interaction occurs as visitors move between worship, community, and meditation spaces, experiencing shifts in scale, light, and material. Key frames include entrance, atrium, courtyard, and sanctuary. By harmonizing architecture, light, and landscape, it enhances spiritual and social engagement.
Team Members: Zehua Zhang