Ontwerp
Very few spaces are as sacred and intimate as a Chapel.
The Chapel is located on the Doxa Deo Campus in Brooklyn, Pretoria. In an urban fabric, situated between a leafy low-rise residential suburb and high-rise apartment buildings, a small pristine white chapel was created as a simplified multifunctional sanctuary.
Site & Context.
A space that reinvents and complements the need to escape to solitude in prayer and meditation. It is by no means a prophecy of the church of the future. The concept of minimalism emphasizes the essence of the space, the simple yet significant genus loci paying homage to early Christian buildings. The sensory experience of a contemporary space, rather than focusing on materiality.
Concept.
The form of the building footprint was dictated by the narrow available space between the single-story admin building and the processional entrance next to the main church building. In response to the site, the shape on the plan was initially sketched as the sacred number seven and the mirrored representation thereof. This shape was then extrapolated into a curved fold, creating two points: a beginning/Alpha (entrance) and an end/Omega (at the cross behind the altar).
Symbolic elements
Symbolic elements and materials such as light, water, timber, and white were introduced. Even though subtle reference is made to Christianity, these references to symbols are subjective to interpretation, allowing the space to be revealed to the visitor and to speak for itself. A large existing Leopard tree stretches over the entrance courtyard, which evolves into a new olive tree landscape that was created as an intimate urban space. The Olive Garden is an extension of the sanctuary that the Chapel provides.
The structure
To emphasize the lightness of the Chapel appearance, a cladded light steel frame structure was the obvious building system. It allowed the curved walls and roof panels to float on different planes and introduce natural light into the space. The combination of smooth and textured walls creates depth on a relatively small façade. The dramatic, pointed roof cantilever emphasizes the point of entry.
The Threshold
The water fountain in the entrance courtyard, drops into a steadily flowing stream framing the curved façade. The cantilevered structure appears to be hovering over the water. The sound of the flowing water mutes the city noises and a bridge to the entrance courtyard serves as a transitional element into the space of meditation and spirituality.
THE SPACE AND MATERIALITy
The interior was specifically designed to be in contrast with the clean white (holy) exterior. A combination of flush timber panelling and -slats, initiate a warm, comfortable and inviting atmosphere for silent prayer and meditation. The curved form and slatted wall panels allow for a pleasant acoustic value and muted atmosphere.
light
The interior was specifically designed to be in contrast with the clean white (holy) exterior. A combination of flush timber panelling and -slats, initiate a warm, comfortable and inviting atmosphere for silent prayer and meditation. The curved form and slatted wall panels allow for a pleasant acoustic value and muted atmosphere.
Comfort
The interior was specifically designed to be in contrast with the clean white (holy) exterior. A combination of flush timber panelling and -slats, initiate a warm, comfortable and inviting atmosphere for silent prayer and meditation. The curved form and slatted wall panels allow for a pleasant acoustic value and muted atmosphere.
Flexability
The chapel benches are moveable, thus allowing the interior space to be flexible and adapt to different uses and the changing needs of the future. A conventional layout can accommodate up to 40 people.
Beacon of light
The chapel is illuminated at night, to ensure that it can be used at any time of the day/night yet maintaining the solitude of the internal space. The natural light qualities of the fenestration are reversed at night, subtlety displaying the illuminated interior. The façade is lit with strategically placed strip lights and transforming it into an anchor in its urban context.
