A curvaceous roof in simple celebration: Martin Luther Church Hainburg, Austria by Coop Himelb(l)au.

I cannot help thinking that Martin Luther would have seen this exquisite church roof, raised in his name, as something of a frippery. And just for featuring it during Lent I already feel a twinge of guilt!

Let us be thankful then, that this outpouring of what some might regard as contemporary Catholic taste, can also be enjoyed as a celebration of nature's own patterns of fluidity.

This Coop Himelb(l)au creation is beautiful and wondrous and helps us reflect on natures own beauty.

The church is located in the centre of Hainburg, Austria. The form of its roof is derived from a nearby Romanesque ossuary. It is a central element of the church, which is also a centre for the community.

The steel structure of the roof was fabricated in a shipyard and came to site in four parts to be welded together. On the interior, the form was clad in steel fabric and rush matting which served as the carrier layer for the stucco. The entire roof weighs 23 tons which is carried as a self supporting structure on four columns.

Gratitude to eVolo.