concrete abstract.

the downtown church: symbol and power of location

this project using chicago as a case study attempts to answer what factors contribute to the endurance of churches in high-density urban centers? this two-fold question will seek to resolve why churches choose to remain in city cores and how they manage to do so. by comparing past to present land-use surveys, church movements were traced and their vacated properties were observed. ethnographic fieldwork provided knowledge of the general types of church visitors, while interviews and newspaper articles offered first hand views from church members on the issues of place, symbol, and the interactions between churches and land developers. it is revealed though this project that several factors, such as convenience, service, history, confinement, redevelopment, and symbol-maintenance all contribute to the reason churches persevere downtown. ultimately however, churches stay for city dwellers and visitors alike, working with or resisting land developers to remain a symbol of humanity and sanctuary in today’s downtown metropolitan environment.

to expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect.
: wilde.