Bruder Klaus Field Chapel
Saanvi Kulkarni
Embedded Files
Project: Bruder Klaus Field Chapel
Architect: Peter Zumthor
Location: Mechernich, Germany
Year of Completion: 2007
The Bruder Klaus Field Chapel, constructed between 2001 and 2007, was built as a worship space for Bruder Klaus, a patron saint of rural Germany. The design approach, according to the architect, involved utilising natural materials and the inherent terrain of the site to create a structure that acted as a 'large vessel to capture the changing intensity of daylight'. The chapel was created by installing a frame made up of 112 timber logs, upon which concrete was poured in layers and the internal structure was burned over the span of six weeks. This resulted in a hollow cavity, open to the elements through a distinctive oculus.
Construction Details
The entrance is a three-metre tall steel door, which acts as the access point to the cavity.
The internal structure, showing the imprint of charred timber left in the poured concrete.
The oculus acts as a central point for the entry of light and other natural elements.
Marble balls studded in the wall perforations disperse light into the hollow cavity.
Process Documentation
Axonometric View
Building Section
Load Transfer
Mass Transfer
Design Approach
The preliminary stages of my design involved identifying elements from the original building that I wanted to carry forward. I prioritised two aspects: the central oculus, and the distribution of mass, particularly in the upper half of the structure. My initial iterations and models involved experimenting with methods of pouring concrete into blocks to generate distinctive spaces to serve three purposes: reading, gathering, and exhibiting. I used sections of the building to try and generate different forms, and experiment with secondary entry paths for light.
Later I shifted to carving out an internal structure, creating space through shaping fluid walls that appeared to 'flow' into each other. This was meant to create distinctions between the inside and outside, which still existed as a singular, solid mass. I wanted to highlight this contrast within the building, to have it function as a light pavilion while still retaining its characteristic external 'heaviness'.
Final Design
The result of my iterations was a light pavilion with two major characteristics: a distinct separation between the internal and external elements, and the distinctive poured concrete construction style of the chapel. The walls, shaped by burnt timber, flow into each other to create an interior meant to serve multiple purposes. The reading space faces the north, in order to receive diffused light throughout the day. The exbihition space is characterised by a central oculus, promoting an upward directionality while providing ample light for activities related to displaying and presenting work. The gathering area is located on the south side, so as to concentrate noise into one region and avoid sound spilling into the intended 'quieter' parts. The perforations lining the wall act as smaller openings for the dispersion of light, adding overall brightness while also maintaining the internal mass distribution.
Zumthor's philosophy while creating the Bruder Klaus Field Chapel was to devise buildings "like large vessels, hollow architectural forms, created to capture the changing intensity of daylight and to foster new experiences from place to place". Through my design, I aimed to capture a similar balance between spirituality and form, and make a space that promoted both productivity and leisure.
Synthesis sheet of specific iterations that led me to the final design.
Plan and section of the proposed light pavilion.
Page updated
Report abuse