The organisation of the building is based around a few ideas.
- Firstly the idea of the fingers of community. The building is set up with the main church space set
in the centre and at the axial focal point of the form. This then is encompassed by three community
fingers. These fingers each have a different character and purpose. The three fingers are notionally
named Community, Activity and Harmony, these relate to what makes up a person, that being
Mind, Body and Spirit respectively. Each finger has a different finish, they being smooth bath stone,
rough cut bath stone and basalt, to differentiate them from each other but also designed specifically
to represent the character of each block. The rough bath stone being more lively and less prescribed
imitating activity within, the smooth bath stone relating to the traditional outlook of Bath
and being on the city geometry and the basalt being a more solid darker stone that encloses and
gives separation from the business of the city creating a quieter harmonious space. The differences
also show that the community fingers can act autonomously, but can also act a part of the church.
Therefore the fingers open up onto the church so that the church can inhabit the fingers and make
them part of the one space. This gives it flexibility and room to expand and contract as needs must.
These fingers reach out to the public into the public space up to the city edge and these become
the edge that the public sees at ground level. Part of this reasoning is so that the church does not
try and set itself up on a plinth but sits within the community responding to it. The community
emanating out from it not having to step up to it.
- Within the community fingers, each finger has a wrapped form that encloses a larger space within
them. So there are strips of program around the edges and group spaces that these look onto and
respond to. Wrapped spaces within the city are important and enclose hidden space and courtyard
areas which allow for private experiences and respite away from frantic nature of the city.
- The community blocks step in section moving from the city edge up to the river edge, rising up
as they go. These then flow into the spire, which similarly facets up with its openable louvres. This
sweeping form shows a flow up from man to God and back again. The horizontality representing
man and the verticality representing God. These meet through the roof forms which facets down
and ends up touching the ground.
- The building in plan descends down form city level to river level. This step down notionally puts the main hall at the heart of the community fingers, with it rising up from within them. It also helps with the relation of the building to the river. The spire conversely sweeps up, giving an awe inspiring sensation of volume and space as you enter into it. This also is part of the idea of ceremony. The views which form the position of the spire are demonstrated in ceremonial routes the lead towards the building and form openings and entrances. The main route into the space is set up by the solid facades of the blocks and opens up to you directing you into the space towards the focal point at its culmination being the baptistery, down at the river.
