Resurgence Nag-unang Gamit: Simbahan by Zehua Zhang

Resurgence Nag-unang Gamit: Simbahan by Zehua Zhang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award nga Bronse in Disenyo sa Arkitektura, Gambalay ug Estruktura Competition Category.

BronseArkitektura· 2026

Resurgence Nag-unang Gamit: Simbahan

by Zehua Zhang

Client: Zehua Zhang

A' Design Award nga Bronse Winner in Arkitektura Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Resurgence Nag-unang Gamit: Simbahan

Teksto sa Libro: Ang Resurgence usa ka bag-ong simbahan sa Altadena nga nagtubag sa mga panginahanglan sa pagtukod pag-usab human sa sunog sa kalasangan. Ang disenyo nagreperensya sa naglibut nga kabukiran pinaagi sa mga hulmang bertikal ug kinulit. Ang konkreto, salamin, ug gipatuboan sa tanaman nga mga korte nagtakda sa mga espasyo sa sulod, nga nagdala og kahayag sa adlaw ug naghimo og malinawon nga mga palibot. Gihiusa sa proyekto ang mga lugar alang sa pagsimba uban ang mga pasilidad sa komunidad, nga naghatag og mga espasyo alang sa espirituhanong pagbansay ug sosyal nga pakig-uban. Kini nagpakita sa lokal nga konteksto samtang nagtugot sa lain-laing kalihokan sa komunidad.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award nga Bronse

Resurgence Nag-unang Gamit: Simbahan usa ka mananaog sa A' Design Award nga Bronse, usa ka labihan ka prestihiyoso nga pag-ila nga gihatag sa talagsaon nga mga disenyo nga gipaila sa pagkamamugnaon, kaabtik, ug kamatngon. Ang mga mananaog sa Bronse mga hanas kaayo ug makapahibulong nga mamugnaon nga mga artipakto nga nagpamatuod sa dakong kasinatian, imahinasyon, ug kaabtik sa ilang mga tigdesinyo. Gilauman nga ang Resurgence Nag-unang Gamit: Simbahan mahimong gipabilhan, gihangaan, ug gihigugma nga butang nga talagsaon ang pagkapropesyonal ug bag-o. Kini nga disenyo nga nakadaog og A' Design Award nga Bronse naglakip sa labing maayong mga praktis sa arte, siyensya, disenyo, ug teknolohiya ug maayo kaayo tungod sa pagtagad niini sa mga detalye. Resurgence Nag-unang Gamit: Simbahan nagtagbaw sa mga panginahanglan sa matahom nga paagi, nag-igo sa mga tinguha, nagbihag sa mga pagbati, ug nagdani sa pagkamausisaon.

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