(1) The building draws back from the end of the site to form a parvis planted with trees, which will hopefully become a well-used and cared-for public space.(2) A simple glass wall separates the church from its huge parvis , dematerializing the boundary between interior and exterior.(3) At the north end of the composition, in front of the cathedral is a new parvis which is intended to be a place of congregation and recreation.(4) The main public frontage is defined by a triangular, rock-studded parvis while the inner edge encloses a small garden landscaped in an artfully minimal Japanese style, creating a peaceful haven for contemplation.(5) The great parvis for open-air worshippers recalls a Classical Greek theatre set in the landscape, with the man-made and natural worlds brought together in a powerful symbiosis.
