Steven Holl’s St. Steven Holl conceived Ignatius Church at Seattle University as seven bottles of light. These bottles of light transform to create a religious experience with programs and activities, but never assume any representational symbolism, a choice which some have criticized.
It may not be much to look at from the outside. a reflecting pool with a little landscaping and steeple, but the scooped out interior is a place for light. Artificial light is kept distinct from daylight, which is celebrated and utilized to form the spaces. This forms a quiet, meditative space full of colored light, which is refreshing in this dark, noisy city. It opened in 1997.
