"We are overusing natural resources. Why not be efficient with the climate?" Alpha Arsano says. "It is a misconception that building energy-efficient structures is more expensive. In the long-term it is much cheaper."
Alpha Arsano is standing next to the MIT Chapel's marble alter, admiring the view through the domed skylight above. Outside, water surrounds the cylindrical red-brick structure like a shallow moat. Inside the chapel, the brick walls ripple like waves. Tiny windows line the walls and face downward so guests can see slivers of the moat. When sunlight reflects off the water at a certain angle, it shines into the chapel and dances onto the walls. Arsano, who just earned a master's in architecture studies and will continue in the fall in MIT's PhD program in building technology, admires the different qualities of many buildings on campus. But none compare, in her mind, to the MIT Chapel.
TO READ THIS ARTICLE, CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT
And extend your reading, free of charge and with no commitment.
