NEW SACRED SPACE Chartres Cathedral in France is the "thought of the middle ages made visible," according to art historian, Emile Male. Through sculpture, stained glass windows, and high arches, it is understood as encapsulating an essence of the Christian spiritual mind of the time. Today, in an increasingly secularized world confronted with diversity, confusion, and a continued decline in church attendance, is there still a need for sacred architecture? If so, what is its contemporary expression? — Published 2007.0509
	BOTTANICAL SPA The Tschuggen Bergoase spa, nestled in the mountains near St. Moritz, Switzerland, takes on a cathedral-like quality. It was designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta who is renowned for his museums and sacred spaces. In contrast to the neighboring Tschuggen Hotel, the spa wears a sleek, timeless design that signals a shift into an interior space of natural quiet. — Published 2007.0207
	HOW BOTTA BUILDS Creating an edifice draws on an almost mystical process of imagining and materializing something from nothing, of developing original thought forms and manifesting them in the physical environment. Swiss-born Mario Botta provides a unique perspective on this creative process. He is best known in the United States for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and is considered one of the world's foremost architects for churches and museums. — Published 2006.0830
	INTERVIEW WITH AN EMERGING ARCHITECT Few architectural commissions are more attractive than an art museum. So no one was surprised in 1999 when the design competition for the Forum for Contemporary Art in St. Louis, Missouri drew an international "who's who" of architects and firms — Rem Koolhaas, Herzog & de Meuron, Enrique Norton, Peter Zumthor. — Published 2002.0102
	ART TO GO WITH ARRIS There's no longer any question that large architectural projects call for sophisticated computer-aided design systems for their execution. But sometimes very small projects do too. As recently demonstrated in the new San Francisco Museum of Modern Art store at the San Francisco International Airport, a top-of-the-line design system can work very well to control the design quality — and cost — of a small architectural gem. — Published 2001.0905
	BUILDING TYPE BASICS FOR MUSEUMS After a period of decline, reflecting stagnant public interest in viewing art and in expressing cultural heritage, museum construction took a sharp upturn in the 1980s as the public in the United States and overseas took a new interest in that heritage. — Published 2001.0808

Mario Botta