026
A House of Reflection, Transparency and Absorption
LOCATION
TRONDHEIM, NORWAY
PROGRAM
CHURCH
YEAR
2023
STATUS
HONORABLE MENTION IN OPEN COMPETITION
Competition entry for a new church in Charlottenlund, Norway. Our proposal, A House of Reflection, Transparency, and Absorption, rests on two principles that harness solar energy. One involves a semi-transparent glass facade utilizing the future technology within solar cells: organic solar cells, which is in the transition from an experimental product to a commercial one. These solar cells open up a range of architectural potentials with transparency and relying less on the angle of the sun's path. The second principle involves the sun heating the air within a space between a glass facade and the interior room. This harnesses the heated air during winters and uses the chimney effect for cooling in summers. Our proposal aims to inspire the use of sustainable materials and technologies, including previously less architecturally attractive materials like solar cells.
Our proposal is architecturally and landscape-oriented towards transitions. Circumambulating the complex, one senses something special behind the wall with glass volumes and trees protruding, and stepping inside the walled complex, one feels part of the unity with the encircling wall, offering a sense of intimacy, protection, and sanctuary within a larger whole. From the arrival, there's an overview of the garden, plaza, and the sacred entrance in the main axis of the church space. Depending on the event and connection to the church, one can choose which entrance to take. At the plaza, one experiences some of the openness typical of traditional churches. The organization around the plaza fosters visual contact and a sense of belonging, reminiscent of qualities found in traditional cloister gardens. It's a place without disturbances before entering the low indoor 'church square', functioning as a modern narthex and a secular room with a low threshold. Between the church square and the church space lies a transition zone with several large double doors that can be opened as needed. Passing through this zone, one compresses, intensifying the effect of the large sacred space and feeling like entering the holy shrine. Entering through the sacred entrance directly from the garden in the main axis of the church space also involves spatial compression before entering the grand church space. However, this entrance is more particular and sacred in its entirety, resembling a traditional entrance to a church. The two different entrance axes of the church represents the sacred and secular, respectively, facilitating different uses of the space.
Glass volumes emerge from the wall, creating an ever-changing facade of reflections and transparency, becoming part of the sky's landscape, blurring the line between the secular and the divine. Depending on the angle and distance from the building and the light from the sky, the building will be perceived differently. Through the glass volume, glimpses of the interior church space are visible, creating a contrast between external and internal forms, reminiscent of historical churches but in a more dissolved relationship. The church plays on this duality, simultaneously open to the outside world and closed for reflection and spirituality.
As part of our research projects in solar cells and pre-manufactured wood elements we have developed the competition proposal in our own self-initiated second phase. The proposal plays with the often contradictory inner and outer geometry of a traditional church but in our proposal one will sense the inner sacred space through a semitransparent facade of solar cells. The wall element of the inner volume folds to let a sacred light in and provide views to the energy producing facade.
