Eric R. Dolph (b. 1979)

Despite the ineffable nature of ‘sacred space,’ several notable scholars have attempted to identify its characteristics. For example, in 1985, in his seminal talk at the annual conference of the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture, architect Michael Brill stated, “There are many sacred places which most people sense as sacred upon a first encounter and without the presence of any accompanying ritual or even any knowledge of their sacred history.” He argued that there are fundamental physical characteristics common to these places and developed a set of fourteen guidelines for the design of sacred space, which are not connected to any formal religion or set of beliefs. 

One such example is Buffalo's Marine A grain silo, a space simultaneously industrial and holding an otherworldly connection to the sacred demonstrated through the proportions, scale, acoustics, materials, and permanence among other features. This work attempts to immerse the viewer in the unique environment of Marine A. 

Eric Dolph, Architect
Assistant Professor, Interior Design
Art+Design Department, SUNY Buffalo State