Hasta La Ideas

French designer Mathieu Lehanneur has added stacked layers of white marble to create a podium in this Romanesque church in France.

The marble strata step up and down, with a still pool of clear water created in one sunken area.

The alter and ambo are made from a coloured mineral material, similar to the existing interior of the church.

Photography is by Felipe Ribon.

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Here are some more details about the project:

St Hilaire church in Melle by Mathieu Lehanneur

Mathieu Lehanneur has converted the choir at St Hilaire church in Melle in the Deux-Sèvres department (France). The designer has enhanced the Romanesque building with a very mineral look, a surge of white marble that he imagines “prior to the construction of the church. A mineral presence justifying that the church was built there. Reflecting the extreme care paid to the telluric energy of stones and territories in the building of Romanesque churches, this place of worship would have been built on this specific area for the discernable energy that emanates from it.”

An architectural gesture equally paradoxical and strangely distinguishable which will undoubtedly mark an important milestone in the development of religious works. The white marble creates a homogenous mineral block formed from successive strata which seem to recall the sedimentary formation of the basement. The liturgical furniture (altar and ambo) is made from coloured alabaster, close to the colour of the original stone of the church. The result is a visual impact, one of Lehanneur’s trade secrets, this time using the purity of the geological chaos to highlight the perfection of the Romanesque geometry.

The complicity between the church and this mineral mass is completed by the baptistery hollowed out from the same material. The water that it holds appears to be from the river which runs below the church: the ultimate linking of the building with its environment.

A scenario inspired by the topology of the place, just like a ‘box’ sunk into the sand, the church in fact gives the impression of nestling in the landscape. It’s not just a building placed on the ground but part of the region and reveals itself to visitors as they descend. The main idea of the project was then to accentuate this sensation of progressive discovery and taking root in the land, “I imagine that when this ‘box’ was sunk into the ground as if pushed by an invisible, maybe divine hand, it revealed the geology of it, the visible aspect of a mineral and massive form: a revelation which seems anterior, and not posterior, to the construction of the church.”

This play between anterior or posterior construction allows a relief to be produced which creates a natural hierarchy between the celebrant and the congregation. It simply uses then the site’s topology in order for a better comprehension. An organic architecture which is not though a break with with the liturgical codes and conceals symbolic invariants like the eight sided baptistery or the altar built at the junction of the transept.

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The JWT Agency by Mathieu Lehanneur	Studio 13/16 by Mathieu Lehanneur	L’Atelier des Enfants by Mathieu Lehanneur

Avanto Architects of Helsinki have designed this whitewashed funeral chapel with a copper roof in Vantaa, Finland.

The building comprises three chapels of varying size and a bell tower.

The building is a steel and in-situ concrete construction with a copper roof and slate flooring.

The entrance path leads through a courtyard with a small pond to the foyer of the chapel.

A continuous skylight follows the route of a visitor attending a funeral, through the building to the graveyard of the older adjacent church.

The chapel is intended to last 200 years with materials chosen accordingly, including hand patinated copper.

More by Avanto Architects on Dezeen »
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The following is from the architects:

Chapel of St. Lawrence

The Vantaa Parish Union held an open architectural competition in the spring of 2003 for the design of a new chapel in the vicinity of the historic Church of St. Lawrence. The area has been classified as a nationally important cultural environment. The winning entry, out of 194 proposals, was “Polku” (“Path”) by Avanto Architects.

Context, Massing
The old stone church with its bell tower remain the dominant features in the landscape. The new chapel ties together different aspects of the area without emphasizing itself. The chapel connects with the graveyard, leaving the old buildings with their own boundaries and territories untouched. It delineates the northern boundary of the graveyard and hides the service yard behind its back. The chapel has been divided in smaller parts to adapt with the scale of the surroundings. The stacked stone walls of the cemetery are echoed in the design – a series of three chapels of different sizes are nested within orthogonal masonry walls. A new bell tower in a corner of the chapel completes the composition and leads the eye skyward.

Structure, Materials, Lifespan

The building uses similar materials as the old structures in the area. The massiveness of the load bearing solid masonry walls balances changes in temperature and moisture. The lightly plastered and whitewashed walls are a bright, tranquil background for the events taking place in the chapel spaces. Apart from the walls, the building has a steel structure. The partition walls are in-situ cast white concrete and the roof is of patinated copper, like the roof of the church. The patina in all copper surfaces in the chapel has been added by hand. The ceilings and the glazed walls toward the graveyard in the chapels are covered with a patinated copper mesh; it functions as a screen between the outside and the spaces of the chapel. The mesh also decreases heat loads from sunshine. The low stone walls flanking the small gardens and courtyards use stone extracted from the site. The floors of public spaces are of slate.

The lifespan target for the chapel is two hundred years. The main structure will certifiably last that long and the natural materials used will age with dignity. A lifespan simulation was used as an aide for the design. An important factor in choosing the materials was locality in addition to longevity; and on-site building and an emphasis on craft were distinct features of the whole project. These ways of working ground the building in its surroundings and display the traces of handcraft.

Functionality

The experience of the mourner was the basis for the design process. The funeral is a unique and taxing event, and for it to go well and without disturbance is of the utmost importance. The architecture of the chapel is designed to assist the mourner, giving space for grief. The people attending the funeral follow a route through a series of sacral spaces, punctuated by intermediate rooms – along the route there is a continuous skylight. The intermediate spaces prepare the visitors for the next phase of the funeral. It is very silent in the chapel; the acoustics and ventilation have been designed especially with this in mind.

The spaces are situated on two levels, the sacral spaces, two chapels and a space for urn burials, and their entrance and lobby spaces, are on the ground floor. In the lobby there is an entry to the space for giving farewell to the deceased, which is located in the basement. The staff rooms are in-between the public areas, on the ground floor and in the basement. During the proceedings, the passage through the spaces is unidirectional. The routes used by different groups of visitors never cross.

The developer was committed to achieving a building of lasting quality. There was ample time given for planning and realization – there was an active dialogue between the designers and the client. The staff commented on the plans by taking part in a work group focusing on functional aspects. The designers accompanied the staff members in their daily duties so as to understand the work processes better. A uniform whole was achieved by having the interiors, furniture, artifacts and textiles, as well as the cladding for the organs designed in the same office as the architecture. The design process was aided by several models and prototypes that were commissioned during the planning stage.

Path

The chapel’s architecture is a depiction of the passage of a Christian soul from here to the hereafter. The route passes through the chapel, into the silent graveyard. The whitewashed masonry walls and a continuous skylight next to it lead from one space to the next, from the low and dark to the lofty and light.

We approach alongside the outer wall. The wall and the bell tower at its end speak of the earthbound journey and its ending. We turn the corner and, sheltered by an overhang, follow the wall, to a small courtyard – a small pond, with natural stones at its bottom. We enter a dimly lit lobby with a low ceiling, we can glimpse the entrance court and the old garden of the vicarage behind us. Here it is possible to stop for a moment and reflect on the experiences and life shared with the deceased.

We follow the skylight to the chapel. The chapel opens up, a high space terminating in the brightly lit junction of the masonry wall, where the deceased will be met by the mourners. The wall towards the graveyard is semi transparent, glazed with a patinated copper mesh on either side, a screen between this life and the hereafter. From the chapel we exit, under the cover of an overhang, through a small garden, to the graveyard. The path turns – but continues.

Art

An open competition was held in the fall of 2007 for art to be commissioned for the chapel. The competition was scheduled before the final construction documents were drafted, so that the art could be integrated as a seamless part of the architecture. Pertti kukkonen was awarded the first prize with his work “the Way of the cross”. Kukkonen was able to utilize the solid masonry walls with his work. In addition to the main pieces, the walls have been inlaid with “spirits” that shine through the light plaster surface. Pertti Kukkonen was responsible also for the demanding work of adding patina to the copper surfaces of the chapel.

Pekka Jylhä was awarded the second prize with his work “Sacred” – his sculptures of glass reflect light around them. The shared mission for both art and architecture is comforting the mourner.

Avanto Architects Ltd / Ville Hara and Anu Puustinen
Building type: Chapel
Competition: open Architecture Competition, 1st prize, 2003
Location: Pappilankuja 3, Vantaa, Finland
Year of completion: 2010
Gross Area: 1879 sqm
Total cost: 10 m€
Client: Vantaa Parish Union
User: Vantaa Parish Union
Developer: Vantaa Parish Union

Designers:

Architects:Avanto Architects Ltd / Ville Hara and Anu Puustinen (principal designer), Architects SAFA
Assistants: Felix Laitinen, student of Architecture; Tommi Tuokkola, Architect SAFA; Jonna Käppi, Architect ARB, SAFA; Piotr Gniewek, student of Architecture; Asami Naito, student of Architecture
Interior Designer: Avanto Architects Ltd / Kai Korhonen, Architect SAFA
Landscape Architect: Landscape Architects Byman Ruokonen Ltd / Eva Byman, Niina Strengell
Structural Design: R J Heiskanen Engineers Ltd / Kari Toitturi, Helena Lomperi
HVAC Design: Leo Maaskola Engineers Ltd / Jukka Sainio, Esa Leino
Electric Design: Veikko Vahvaselkä Engineers Ltd / Rauno Nyblom, Lassi Jalava
Lighting Design: Tülay Schakir
Acoustic Design: Akukon Ltd / Olli Salmensaari
Textile Design: Avanto Architects Ltd

Contractors

Prime contractor: Rakennuspartio Ltd
Electric contractor: Lassila & Tikanoja Ltd / Building Services / Electric Services
HVAC contractor: Sähköpeko Etelä-Suomi Ltd
Timber furniture contractor: Wooden Ltd
Metal furniture contractor: Selki-Asema Ltd
Metal mesh contractor: Inlook Ltd
Artists: Pertti Kukkonen, Pekka Jylhä
Organ constructor: Urkurakentamo Veikko Virtanen Ltd
Landcape contractor: Lemminkäinen Ltd and Suomen Graniittikeskus Ltd

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Sunset Chapel by Bunker Arquitectura	Kuokkala Church by Hirvilammi & Luonti	Farewell Chapel by OFIS Arhitekti

This boulder-shaped building in Acapulco, Mexico, is a mausoleum by Mexcian studio Bunker Arquitectura.

Called Sunset Chapel, the faceted building appears to balance on the rocky terrain and a triangular-shaped aperture forms the entrance.

The chapel is located on an upper floor and is reached by internal steps.

Slits in the walls provide views out to the surrounding landscape and also allow slivers of light into the space.

Concrete pews are oriented towards a glazed wall with a crucifix on the surface.

Crypts are located outside and around the chapel.

Photographs are by Esteban Suárez.

More buildings for worship on Dezeen »
All our stories on death »

Here’s some more information from the architects:

Sunset Chapel

Our first religious commission was a wedding chapel conceived to celebrate the first day of a couple’s new life. Our second religious commission had a diametrically opposite purpose: to mourn the passing of loved ones. This premise was the main driving force behind the design, the two had to be complete opposites, they were natural antagonists.

While the former praised life, the latter grieved death. Through this game of contrasts all the decisions were made: Glass vs. Concrete, Transparency vs. Solidity, Ethereal vs. Heavy, Classical Proportions vs. Apparent Chaos, Vulnerable vs. Indestructible, Ephemeral vs. Lasting…

The client brief was pretty simple, almost naïve: First, the chapel had to take full advantage of the spectacular views. Second, the sun had to set exactly behind the altar cross (of course, this is only possible twice a year at the equinoxes). And last but not least, a section with the first phase of crypts had to be included outside and around the chapel.

Metaphorically speaking, the mausoleum would be in perfect utopian synchrony with a celestial cycle of continuous renovation. Two elements obstructed the principal views: large trees and abundant vegetation, and a behemoth of a boulder blocking the main sight of the sunset.

In order to clear these obstructions (blowing up the gigantic rock was absolutely out of the question for ethical, spiritual, environmental and, yes, economical reasons) the level of the chapel had to be raised at least five meters. Since only exotic and picturesque vegetation surrounds this virgin oasis, we strived to make the least possible impact on the site reducing the footprint of the building to nearly half the floor area of the upper level.

Acapulco’s hills are made up of huge granite rocks piled on top of each other. In a purely mimetic endeavor, we worked hard to make the chapel look like “just another” colossal boulder atop the mountain.

Design: BNKR Arquitectura
Partners: Esteban Suárez (Founding Partner) y Sebastián Suárez
Project Leaders: Mario Gottfried, Javier González & Roberto Ampudia

Project Team: Mario Gottfried, Rodrigo Gil, Roberto Ampudia, Javier González, Óscar Flores, David Sánchez, Diego Eumir, Guillermo Bastian & Adrian Aguilar
Collaborators: Jorge Arteaga y Zaida Montañana

Click for larger image

Structural Engineers: Juan Felipe Heredia & José Ignacio Báez
MEP: SEI
Lighting: Noriega Iluminadores – Ricardo Noriega
Construction: Factor Eficiencia – Fermin Espinosa & Francisco Villeda
Area: 120 m2
Status: Completed February 2011
Location: Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico

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Sta Columbina Chapel by Luis Ferreira Rodrigues	The Cross-Gate by Ivo Pavlik	Farewell Chapel by OFIS Arhitekti

Alfonso Architects have designed a church in Tampa, Florida using the Fibonacci sequence to generate the proportions.

The Tampa Covenant Church features a newly built sanctuary, which is connected to two existing buildings that have been renovated.

The three structures are linked by a new exterior courtyard.

The church comprises a sanctuary, administrative offices and classrooms.

Photographs are by Al Hurley.

See Dezeen’s top ten churches.

The following information is from the architects:

Tampa Covenant Church
Alfonso Architects

The program included a new 25,000 sf freestanding church building comprised of a worship sanctuary, administrative offices, and classrooms for an existing congregation of 450.

In addition, the project required the renovation of two existing single level buildings, one from the 1960’s and one from the 1990’s, and a complete site redesign including parking, lighting and landscaping.

The challenge was to establish an intimate church campus by creating a new exterior courtyard as a catalyst for interaction as an exterior room joining the new and existing buildings.

The project’s Interior and exterior were developed using the Fibonacci sequence to establish scale and proportion in tandem with the churches’ theological requirements.

The many architectural features of the project were derived from theological precedence while reflecting quantities of numerical biblical importance (i.e. 3 olive trees, 7 candle boxes, 12 office windows, 14 pendant lights, etc).

Location of Project – Tampa, Florida-USA
Type of Project – Addition/Renovation
Design

Architect – Alfonso Architects:  Alberto Alfonso – Lead Designer, Angel del Monte – Co-Designer

Inc
Year completed – 1/23/2010
Construction Manager  – John Jazesf

Project area – 25,000 sf
Cost per Square Foot  –  $110

General Contractor – J.B.D Construction
Construction Cost  –  $2,600,000

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

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Infinity Chapel by hanrahanMeyers	Dezeen’s top ten: churches	More architecture stories on Dezeen

Designers Gijs Van Vaerenbergh have suspended a network of chains to create an upside-down dome inside this church in Leuven, Belgium.

The Upside Dome hovers in front of the pulpit inside St-Michiel Church, suspended from the roof where the building’s missing dome should be located.

The installation is open to the public until 31 October 2010.

Photos are by Jeroen Verrecht.

Here’s a note from the architects:

Gijs Van Vaerenbergh

When visiting the St-Michiel Church in Leuven one might overlook that the church has no dome. Pieterjan Gijs and Arnout Van Vaerenbergh build an in- stallation that takes this seemingly trivial fact as a starting point and generate the missing dome in a remarkable way.

The installation casts light on the architecture of one of the most prestigious baroque churches of the Low Countries from a contemporary perspective. Using the design technique of the catenary, a new structure emerges in the church. The Upside Dome is a real size scale model, comprised of hundreds of meters of chain, which is literally and figuratively the counterpart of the unfinished dome.

Pieterjan Gijs (1983) and Arnout Van Vaerenbergh (1983) both studied archi- tecture and work together under the name Gijs Van Vaerenbergh in a multidis- ciplinary practice with an important focus on public space.

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Parish House St. Josef by Frei + Saarinen Architects	Robert Stadler installation in a Parisian church	The Vanishing Mosque by RUX Design for Traffic