Eglises à la recherche de vocations : quels apports de l'environnement sonore ?

Churches in search of a vocation: what does the sonic environment say?

CHURCH buildings; VOCATION (in religious orders, congregations, etc.); SPACE (Architecture); SENSES; IDENTITY (Psychology); SACRED space; MEMORY

The perception of architectural space is a global experience that engages all the senses, especially the auditory sense. Places have their own sonic imprint, which is closely intertwined with the sense of belonging and territorial identity. Church space is a paragon with regard to its sonic dimensions, for its particular acoustics and the fact that it has been a privileged setting for performances of speech and music, features deeply embedded in memories. This article discusses the core of a research project that examines "sensibilities" of Montreal's (Québec) inhabitants towards church spaces, in a context where many of them are closed down and are being converted to other uses. This study draws from the architectural and urban ambiances approach. It combines aspects of the physical characterization of place, the individual perceptions, and representations of space. In this case, the sense of place entangles closely with the spatiotemporal experience produced by the impressive sonic effects of these large "resonating chambers". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La perception de l'espace architectural est une expérience globale qui engage la totalité des sens. L'ouïe, autant que la vue, en conserve une empreinte qui se lie étroitement avec l'appartenance aux lieux et l'identité territoriale. L'église se présente comme un espace de référence sur le plan sonore, autant pour ses particularités acoustiques que pour les pratiques séculaires qui y ont cours, sonorités qui irriguent les mémoires individuelles et collectives. Cet article présente une enquête en cours qui interroge les "sensibilités" d'habitants de Montréal (Québec) à l'égard des espaces ecclésiaux, à l'heure où nombre d'églises ferment ou sont converties à d'autres usages. Cette étude, inspirée de l'approche des ambiances architecturales et urbaines, relève à la fois de la caractérisation physique des lieux et de celle des perceptions et représentations de l'espace. Ici, le sens des lieux s'enchevêtre avec l'expérience spatiotemporelle suscitée par les effets sonores de ces grandes "caisses de résonance". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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