Resurgence Foncion Principala: Glèisa by Zehua Zhang

Resurgence Foncion Principala: Glèisa by Zehua Zhang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award de Bronze in Arquitectura Competition Category.

BronzeArquitectura· 2026

Resurgence Foncion Principala: Glèisa

by Zehua Zhang

Client: Zehua Zhang

A' Design Award de Bronze Winner in Arquitectura Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #180908

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The Design

About Resurgence Foncion Principala: Glèisa

Tèxte del Libre: Resurgence es una novèla glèisa a Altadena que respond als besonhs de reconstruccion aprèp los incendis de forèst. La concepcion fa referéncia a las montanhas environantas per de formas verticalas e esculptadas. Lo beton, lo veire e las corts paisatgeras definisson los espacis interiors, en portant la lutz del jorn e en creant d'environaments calmes. Lo projècte combina de zònas de culte amb d'installacions comunautàrias, en fornissent d'espacis tan per la practica espirituala coma per l'interaccion sociala. Reflectís lo contèxte local tot en s'adaptant a d'activitats comunautàrias divèrsas.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Bronze

Resurgence Foncion Principala: Glèisa a ganhat la distincion A' Design Award de Bronze, una reconeissença plan prestigiosa acordada a de designs excellents que se destrian per la creativitat, l'engenh e la finessa. Los ganhaires del Bronze son d'artefactes largament abils e sorprenentament creatius que provan la vasta experiéncia, l'imaginacion e l'engenhositat de lors designers. S'espèra que Resurgence Foncion Principala: Glèisa siá un objècte fòrça considerat, admirat e estimat, notablament professional e innovant. Aqueste design ganhaire de la distincion A' Design Award de Bronze integra las melhoras practicas de l'art, de la sciéncia, del design e de la tecnologia e es excellent per son atencion al detalh. Resurgence Foncion Principala: Glèisa satisfa esplendidament los besonhs, toca los desirs, encanta los sentiments e interèssa la curiositat.

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