Final Chapel Project: Taylor Skaufel

Overview

The goals for the my design of the chapel were clear: simplicity, sacredness, and maximize the beautiful views. All the forms are simple. To create sacredness I decided to build upon the foundation of traditional church architecture and add a new architecture feel. I kept a high ceiling because "sometimes the greatest moments in life are the time were you feel like nothing at all" (example looking at the stars). High ceilings heighten this "sacred feeling." The office, classroom, and side chapel all have beautiful views of the ocean. A theme that arose in my project was "Walking into the light." This is seen clearly through expressive light in the main chapel. The foundation of this chapel was rock, very fitting for a church. To exemplify the sturdy foundation the church is set on I made the main chapel mostly massive to give it a very long lasting/ sturdy feel. The surrounding buildings were more skeletal. This was done make the main church seem more massive. I pictured this chapel being made out of a concrete/ stone material.

Chapel
The Chapel is simple. A wall based system with large columns give it a very sturdy feel.












Side Chapel (Zen Vista)
The side chapel is where the viewer can experience the Zen Vista. You enter into this side chapel by going down a sloped corridor from the main chapel. As the person descends two feet, they come to the door of the side chapel and immediately are stunned by the view of the ocean. The solid glass wall allows no obstruction of this view.






Expressive Lighting
The Light slits at the end of the hallways the run along side the chapel invite the people to walk down the hallway. This is similar to to seeing a cracked door in the dark and wondering what is going on the other side of the door.









The light scoop at the front of the chapel provided a way for light to enter into the chapel.













Depending on the time of day, there are different lighting effects in the chapel. This picture shows the expressive light being brought into the chapel through the overhead windows. This light illuminates the columns and creates a sacred experience.









The cross cut out of the ceiling is the Beloved Detail chapel. This can only been seen at a specific part of the day. The illuminated cross on the back wall of the church










Sectional Model 1/2"
The sectional model shows the roof structure of the chapel. It is essentially a roof supported by thick beams. A ceiling rests on top of the beams with a roof layer above the ceiling.










Site Model 1/8"
The site model shows where my buildings are situated on the site.













Influential Architects
Many architects influenced my project including: Ando, Aalto, Kahn, Holl, and Fehn.