Resurgence Примарна функција: Црква by Zehua Zhang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Бронзена награда A' Design Award in Дизајн на архитектура, градби и конструкции Competition Category.
БронзенаАрхитектура· 2026
Resurgence Примарна функција: Црква
by Zehua Zhang
Client: Zehua Zhang
Бронзена награда A' Design Award Winner in Архитектура Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #180908The Design
About Resurgence Примарна функција: Црква
Текст од книгата: Resurgence е нова црква во Алтадена која одговара на потребите за реконструкција по шумските пожари. Дизајнот се повикува на околните планини преку вертикални, скулптурирани форми. Бетон, стакло и озеленети дворови ги дефинираат внатрешните простори, внесувајќи дневна светлина и создавајќи мирни средини. Проектот комбинира простори за богослужба со заеднички објекти, обезбедувајќи простори како за духовна практика така и за социјална интеракција. Тој го отсликува локалниот контекст, истовремено сместувајќи разновидни активности на заедницата.
The Recognition
About the Бронзена награда A' Design Award
Resurgence Примарна функција: Црква е добитник на Бронзената награда A' Design Award, високо престижно признание што се доделува на извонредни дизајни што се одликуваат со креативност, генијалност и лукавост. Бронзените добитници се доволно вешти и воодушевувачки креативни творби што го потврдуваат огромното искуство, имагинација и снаодливост на нивните дизајнери. Се очекува Resurgence Примарна функција: Црква да биде високо ценет, восхитуван и сакан предмет, значајно професионален и иновативен. Овој дизајн со Бронзена награда ги вклучува најдобрите практики во уметноста, науката, дизајнот и технологијата и се одликува со внимание кон деталите. Resurgence Примарна функција: Црква одлично ги задоволува потребите, ги допира желбите, ги маѓепсува чувствата и ја буди љубопитноста.
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
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