Samford University’s School of the Arts Department of Architecture and Interior Design recently collaborated with the Center for Worship and the Arts (CWA) on a special project. The Architecture Design Studio III class project, A Place for Prayer, prompted students to design a new space on campus to be used intentionally for prayer.

The project was divided into two parts. In part one, students explored what makes a space conducive to prayer. They examined options to optimize the spiritual, social, emotional and physical aspects of prayer spaces. Students were assigned readings on the connections between the design of a physical space and a spiritual experience. Based on these texts, they created collages representing their thoughts on prayer, which were then used for studio discussions and to develop essays on "What is a place for prayer?"

For part two, students worked in pairs to develop a design concept for a prayer space at one of two proposed locations on Samford's campus. 

When creating their concepts, students considered several key elements. They focused on how the structure would function best as a quiet place for prayer, including the size and type of architecture, entry and exit sequences, and how the structure would be experienced and impact the chosen site.

On Friday, Oct. 11, students presented their final design concepts to a panel of judges. The panel included Samford’s first lady, Julie Taylor, and the CWA promotion, community engagement and resource coordinator, Abbey Plant, among others.

“It was a great pleasure to participate as a reviewer of the intentional and inspirational design presentations for A Place for Prayer,” Taylor said. “It was exciting to hear the unique ways that each team incorporated prayer-focused concepts such as light and shadow, movement and stillness, sound and quietness into their design elements. Their designs included walkways, walls, seating, sculptures, lighting, landscape and more. Every proposal showed a high regard for preserving and enhancing the beauty of campus and enlivening the prayer life of the Samford community.” 

"Serving as a panelist for this project was genuinely a privilege,” Plant said. “I had the opportunity to observe the remarkable courage of these students as they combined traditional garden elements with fresh designs to create spaces meant for worship and contemplation.”

Dr. Nelson Cowan, director of the CWA, explained the project's origins:

“This unique collaboration began with Rachel Hagues, associate professor of social work and Chuck Stokes, associate professor of sociology winning a 2023 Engaging Worship Faculty/Staff Grant from the Center for Worship and the Arts,” explained Cowan. “Recognizing the importance for quiet, set-apart spaces on campus for prayer and contemplation, Hagues and Stokes wanted to cast a vision for how Samford could accommodate such spaces. Samford’s Department of Architecture and Interior Design built this project into their curriculum, igniting creativity with a series of design proposals. Someday, perhaps we could even see one of these proposals come to life on Samford’s beautiful campus.”

 This collaborative project exemplifies Samford University's commitment to interdisciplinary learning and demonstrates its quality in career preparation—as reflected in its national ranking by The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse for 2025—while fostering a strong foundation of faith and spiritual growth. By engaging students in designing prayer spaces, the university enhances their academic skills and encourages them to explore the profound connection between physical environments and spiritual experiences.

“As someone who feels a connection with God through nature, I believe this project would offer a creative and innovative way to enrich the spiritual lives of students, faculty, staff and visitors,” Plant said. “Whenever I interact with our Samford students, I often remark, ‘the future is bright,’ and this experience of witnessing their impressive work reaffirmed that sentiment."

As Samford continues to nurture both the intellectual and spiritual development of its students, initiatives like the Prayer Garden project open doors to innovative approaches in campus life and worship.