Entry inspiration

Progress

I started designing my chapel based on the idea of guiding the congregation with a strong circulation system into and through spiritual spaces. I have expressed this idea through a strong transparent (at least above a certain height, 6 ft) corridor with a low ceiling; this corridor is set at an angle and guides the visitor through the campus. This transparent corridor will allow the visitor to see the roof above giving them awareness that they are being guided through a larger, more continuous space. The corridor is paired with a translucent cube lobby, set at a different angle (which mirrors the back chapel wall). As the corridor runs through spaces, such as the lobby, I want the walls to erode, so that some remain, but the low transparent ceiling is continuous; so inside the lobby space, even when there aren't corridor walls (as to allow movement within the lobby), the ceiling will remain as a guiding path.

These two pieces work within a system of a rectangle cut out and pieced together--with various angles working in conjunction on a large axis.


The classroom and bathroom area (seen at top of picture) fits into the cut-out of the larger rectangular system, but is displaced. This displacement defines the outdoor, courtyard area. Although not modeled here, the corridor will (via erosion) continue into the classroom space, guiding the visitor across the courtyard. The circulation is as follows through the corridor: the lobby, the chapel (through which one can access the side chapel), the office space, the courtyard, and the classroom. A thick diagonal wall, which forms a side wall of the chapel, will actually cut through the corridor sweeping visitors into the chapel with the grand gesture of the thick angled wall, or squeezing (through a condensed space) visitors onwards through the corridor.

I want my main chapel to be a place for communal worship, so I have designed an inward-facing chapel. Therefore I want to focus on how to bring that into the space--via central light and form--rather than outward facing vista views. On the other hand, I want my side chapel to be all about the view; I want that space to be a low slung, outward looking chapel in which visitors may sit and be contemplative or spiritual individually. I have been playing with the specific siting of the side chapel; I'm playing with how I want it to be and feel connected to the chapel, and how it will fit into the larger puzzle-like system. At this point I think I want to extend the angled side wall of the chapel, letting it define a small outdoor space, and then becoming the side wall off the side chapel.

I've tried to define both of these ideas of circulation and focus in two central ways: light and form. I'm using a light system based off of the concept behind my wall project--a system of falling glass on a grid, which lets light flood in at the top and more "peek" views below. I want to use this system to guide circulation on the front wall of the whole campus/building, I want to use it to let light, but not view in to the main chapel, and I want to use it as the guiding connection from the main chapel to the side chapel. The form I want to use is that of the wave. It's in reference to the waves just off of the cliffs of the location; and I think the undulation helps define the focus and experience of the viewer. In the main chapel the wave will encompass the entire space, serving as a ceiling; it will meet the wall of the entrance (I'm still playing ideas for this wall) and drape just in front of it. I hope to make this interaction (between the wall and the wave) a unique experience, and my beloved detail. I want to let light in to this unique gap space, and for the visitor to experience this installation-like space upon entrance to the chapel. The wave of the side chapel should be going the other way--out towards the ocean, so that the visitor's attention is drawn out and to the ocean; this wave will start as the roof, become the wall, and then the floor providing one continuous sight line. I am also still questioning materiality of the two waves, and how that may differ based on the difference in purpose. The specifics of the wave shape will be determined by actual ocean wave algorithms (based off depth of ocean just off of the site).


The two images above are of my 1/2" scale section model and show my first iteration of the wave as a draping roof/ceiling.
I was unsatisfied with the flat roofs following the waves, so I have abstracted the wave into a more angular, regular roof system, so that the wave then becomes a more regular part of the building and overall system. I am still playing with whether this abstracted wave will be the actual roof, or will be a second, floating roof. It may span the two buildings as shown above, making the courtyard a semi-outdoor space.

Inspiration

I was browsing through Archdaily after Patti sent out the link, and came across this temporary chapel in France. It looks pretty similar to the rock-like concept I'm working with for my chapel. Interestingly, this chapel is made of timber panels, and meant to be just a temporary structure.

Here are a few pictures and the link to the architect's project page.

Chapel Mont Tamaro, Botta: Ceiling Inspiration

Ceiling inspiration

James Turrel artist installation

Client-Preferred Architect Inspirations

Three of the client's preferred architects that I drew inspiration from were Carlo Scarpa, Sverre Fehn, and Tadao Ando. The areas of inspiration, respectively, were massing, material, and light expression.

The above building by Scarpa illustrates the beauty of a complex interlocking of geometric objects and acute angles. A few critics have suggested that my structure is too complex and relies too heavily on a variety of materials, but Scarpa's work demonstrates how a thoughtful ordering and placement of these massing objects, wall thicknesses, and glass can create a very strong sense of balance and interaction. While most angled corners of my building open up to circulation, there are some at the outermost edges of my structures that are difficult to inhabit, so I may use them as storage or an interesting expression of light.

The above building by Fehn illustrates the use of a powerful form of translucency on vertical walls. It is characterized by horizontal slits of glass which block vision into or out of the building, but allow a controlled amount of light through the plane, both during day and night. I plan to use a similar material and texture on my light boxes, which connect to all buildings and are the main channels of light into and out of the structure. A juxtaposition of this kind of translucent wall and clear glass panels will also allow for interested framing.

Finally, the above building by Tadao Ando illustrates the power of thin slits of light to create meaningful expression of light, in this case a vertical cross in the Chapel of Light. I plan to use a similar cross shape on the roofs of my tower. This has benefits over Ando's design because the direct light beam will not cause problems of glare in the long shaft of the roof, and the horizontal crosses will cast long crosses, either in light or shadow, on the vertical walls of the towers, moving from wall to wall during the course of the day.

Process Update: Chapel Details, still more site placement (maybe...)

The Chapel has started to take form, and with it a unifying design language for the entirety of the project. I started this process by going back to the fundamental design goal of this project (as well as keeping in mind my personal ones as the architect): the use of expressive light to provide a safe, encouraging, and inspired environment for reflection and introspection. My design inspiration was the below picture from one of the power points we were given (I can't find what bldg. it came from, or who the architect is).


Something about the "line" of glazed glass made the whole experience of prayer really simple to me (my eyes kept following it up and down), and I felt that I could take advantage of that to bring peoples eyes/attention to the alter. The visual effect also is one that creates a very vertical sense to the space, almost as if the ceiling extends into the heavens, and I wanted to create that effect because I felt it fulfills my desire to provide a very inspired space, not one that is dull.

I decided to focus first on the line of glass windows (to bring people to look at the altar), and then design expressive light for the altar itself. The below sketches show my initial ideas in how I thought this might work. The last picture shows additional light wells I was exploring, and have not constructed in my section model (if I will construct them).





My goal would be for people to enter the chapel, look up at the ceiling (because it is much higher than the previous space they were in), follow the line of glass all the way down to the altar, then follow it back up so they're really focusing on the ceiling, and then "turning" to themselves.

The section construction process began in Sketchup (after sketches).


I then built the model originally as shown below.


I later decided that having the light just focused on the altar would help to be focused, but might make the room to dark and scary, so decided to open up slits on both side walls so light can shine down. Below shows the lighting effects.



There was a little modification to the site plan too. The below pics show the two configurations I'm currently considering. I'm also considering moving the side chapel to inside the chapel.

Inspiration from The Fountainhead

A passage from one of my favorite books, The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, which I thought of in regards to this project.

"The Temple was to be a small building of gray limestone. Its lines were horizontal, not the lines reaching to heaven, but the lines of the earth. It seemed to spread over the ground like arms outstretched at shoulder-height. palms down, in great, silent acceptance. It did not cling to the soil and it did not crouch under the sky. It seemed to lift the earth, and its few vertical shafts pulled the sky down. It was scaled to human height in such a manner that it did not dwarf man, but stood as a setting that made his figure the only absolute, the gauge of perfection by which all dimensions were to be judged. When a man entered this temple, he would feel space molded around him, for him, as if it had waited for his entrance, to be completed. It was a joyous place, with the joy of exaltation that must be quiet. It was a place where one would come to feel sinless and strong, to find the peace of spirit never granted save by one's own glory."