Hand in Hand
In Zuchwil, a suburb of Solothurn, is in a very unglamorous surroundings are exceptional concrete construction. The Swiss office smarch built between railway tracks, roads and commercial areas a church that is deeply touching. Design, material choice and mood lighting create a sacred space, the less religious people can move in admiring silence.
Even if the shape of the building to a whale or a vessel lying recalls, she is originally based on the design idea of using two interlocking hands. Translate this idea, the architects spatially: Two curved concrete shells, the buildings form. The upper shell is the same roof and canopy, the bottom turns from the forecourt into the interior church floor and eventually goes into the altar wall. The short sides of the concrete bands are converging, but leave a free gap of light. On the input side is formed a narrow band of windows and a skylight over the altar is, by the light of day as a cascade of light on the curved back wall. The church is filled with an impressive play of light and shadow, which explains, in addition to the form, the specific dynamics of this building.
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New Apostolic Church Zuchwil
Architects: smarch - Beat Mathys and Ursula Stücheli, Bern, www.smarch.ch
Structural development in cooperation with: Conzett Bronzini Gartmann, Chur, cbg-ing.ch
Location: main street, 4528 Zuchwil, Switzerland, site map
Completion: 2005
Photos: Thomas Jantscher
The church is at worship services and events available to the public.
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Location
chmaler ajar
